Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) rescued 18 men and women from a human trafficking attempt in Teknaf as they were being taken by trawler to Malaysia through sea routes.
Lieutenant Colonel Ashiqur Rahman, Commanding Officer of BGB Teknaf Battalion-2, confimred the matter on Sunday, December 28.
He said that acting on intelligence inputs, BGB learned that a trafficking syndicate was preparing to smuggle victims abroad using a trawler. Several BGB teams conducted a planned operation in the bushes near Raja Chhara Central Jame Mosque area along the Teknaf Marine Drive on Friday night, December 26.
When traffickers were boarding the victims onto the vessel, BGB patrol teams encircled the trawler. Sensing the presence of the law enforcement agencies, the traffickers fled under cover of darkness by swimming to a nearby village.
A subsequent search of the trawler led to the rescue of 18 victims, including Md Tarek, an accused in a murder case, who was later handed over to Teknaf Police Station.
Ashiqur further said that the victims had been lured with false promises of overseas employment, higher wages and a better future. The trafficking network operates through local agents as well as associates based in Malaysia, he said.
BGB reiterated that strict surveillance and anti-trafficking operations will continue to prevent such crimes, he said, adding that the rescued victims will be handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station after completion of necessary formalities.
Jahangir Alam/MHK