Teknaf, Bangladesh: 50 voyagers departed from Baharsara of Shamlapur under Teknaf upazila to Malaysia with a rickety boat from Bangladesh on February 16, at night, said a local fisherman from Shamlapur.

“This boat was arranged by three agents - Shoffi Ullah, Nur Ullah and Serber Ahmed from Shamlapur – and most of the Malaysia voyagers are Rohingya people from inside Arakan and Bangladesh.”

One Moulvi Sayed Alam from Shamlapur said that
One local agent from Shamlapurt village organized 10 men each to send Malaysia where the agents collected Taka 30,000 – 40,000 per head for the trip of Malaysia and Jassim Uddin, Amin Hussain and others, are the agents to organize the people, said Moulvi Sayed Alam from Shamlapur village.

Mashrul Haque, a police officer from Baharsara police station, Teknaf said that he was very surprised why those people were going to Malaysia with risky journey. 

Besides, on February 18, Jamil Ahmed (refugee), Mohamed Rofique (refugee) and Saber Ahmed (Bangladeshi) were arrested by camp security officer inspector Nurul Islam while they were suspiciously moving in the Nayapa refugee camp, at about 6:30 pm. They are still in the police barrack for more interrogations. They arrestees are the members of a syndicate who are trafficking people to Malaysia, said the police officer Nurul Islam.

Similarly, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) of Shapuri Dip village also arrested nine Malaysia voyagers with an engine boat while they were trying to go to Malaysia on February 18, at about 5:30 pm,. Some of the arrested persons are identified as Nur Bosher, (45), Sayed Hussain (20), Shamshul Alam (22), Shabbir Ahmed (22), and Mohamed Salim (20). After arrest, they were sent to Teknaf police station, according to BGB official of Shapuri Dip and it was confirmed from Teknaf BGB Battalion No. 41 commanding officer.

The voyagers are trying to go to Malaysia before coming monsoon. If the monsoon comes, the waves in the see will be very rough and the boatpeople will not be able to go to Malaysia.  Though there is red alert of security in border areas, the voyagers go to Malaysia taking with risky, said a fisherman from Shapuri Dip.