52 rescued while being trafficked to Malaysia

Law enforcers, in separate drives, have rescued 52 fortune seekers from Dhaka, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar while allegedly being trafficked to Malaysia.

They also detained nine persons for their alleged link with human trafficking.

Of them, Bangladesh Coast Guard rescued 40 people from a fishing trawler near St Martin's Island in Cox's Bazar while Rapid Action Battalion rescued 12 from Dhaka and Chittagong in last 24 hours till this morning.

In Cox’s Bazar, the coastguards conducted a regular drive in the south-west side of the Chhera Dwip in the Bay and intercepted the trawler upon suspicion around 11:15am, our district correspondent reports quoting Lt Dikson Chowdhury, station commander of St Martin coastguard.

The fortune seekers started the journey for Malaysia from Cox’s Bazar two days back, Chowdhury said.

They will be handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station, he said adding a press briefing will be held later in the day at the police station.

In separate drives, Rab members rescued 12 fortune seekers and detained nine alleged traffickers from Dhaka and the Bay of Bengal in Chittagong while being trafficked to Malaysia, said Rab sources.