Navy detains 214 Myanmar nationals in Bay trying to illegally reach Malaysia
COX’S BAZAR CORRESPONDENT, HNILA CORRESPONDENT, TEKNAF CORRESPONDENT & BANGLADESH NAVY PRESS RELEASE
Bangladesh Navy on Tuesday detained 214 displaced Myanmar citizens from a fishing boat in the Bay of Bengal as they attempted to migrate illegally to Malaysia.
The Navy’s offshore patrol vessel BNS Durjoy intercepted the boat — FV Kulsumah — around 44 nautical miles southwest of Saint Martin’s Island, after noticing its suspicious movement in deep sea, the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate said in a statement.
The boat, which set sail from Shaplapur in Cox’s Bazar around 2:00am on April 8, was carrying 118 men, 68 women, and 28 children, all of whom were identified as displaced citizens of Myanmar.
The vessel had no life-saving equipment, food, water, or safety gear, raising the risk of a humanitarian disaster, the statement said.
Following the operation, the Navy handed over the boat and the detainees to the Bangladesh Coast Guard station in Saint Martin’s for legal action.
The Navy reiterated its commitment to securing the maritime boundary and preventing trafficking, illegal migration, and other crimes at sea.
