Teknaf, Oct 2 (V7N) – Bangladesh Coast Guard and Navy forces rescued 21 people, including women and children, from a remote hideout in the hilly areas of Baharchhara, Teknaf, before they could be trafficked to Malaysia.

Lieutenant Commander Syam-ul-Hoque, spokesperson for the Coast Guard, confirmed the rescue on Thursday morning. Acting on a tip-off, security forces learned that several women, children, and young men had been confined in a hillside shelter near Karachi Para ghat, allegedly awaiting sea transport to Malaysia.

A joint operation was launched late Wednesday night, around 11:00 p.m., during which the 21 victims were recovered alive. However, traffickers fled the scene upon sensing the presence of the security team, and no arrests were made. Authorities have intensified intelligence surveillance to identify and bring the culprits to justice.

“The Bangladesh Coast Guard remains vigilant against human trafficking and will continue such operations in the future,” Lieutenant Commander Syam-ul-Hoque said.

According to officials, the rescued group consists mostly of Rohingya refugees, along with several Bangladeshi nationals. Traffickers reportedly use Teknaf’s rugged and inaccessible hilly terrain as secret hubs to confine victims before attempting dangerous maritime crossings to Malaysia.

Despite frequent raids, human trafficking networks remain active, often adapting with new methods to evade law enforcement. Authorities said ongoing crackdowns and intelligence monitoring are being reinforced to curb the operations.

Over the past several months, multiple joint raids in Teknaf’s hill regions have rescued at least 162 individuals from trafficking attempts, most of whom were Rohingya refugees.

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