Episode: KPN 02-03-2026

Bangladesh Coast Guard arrests 15 human traffickers, rescues 153 at sea off St. Martin’s Island

The Bangladesh Coast Guard has arrested 15 suspected human traffickers and rescued 153 people — including women and children — during a pre-dawn maritime operation in the deep sea southwest of St. Martin’s Island, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon, Media Officer of the Coast Guard, said the arrests were made at approximately 3:00am following actionable intelligence indicating that a large group of men, women, and children had been assembled offshore for trafficking to Malaysia by sea.

The operation was conducted by the Coast Guard vessel Kamruzzaman, deployed under the ongoing maritime security campaign “Operation Samudra Prahari.”

According to officials, the Coast Guard signaled a suspicious vessel to halt for inspection. The boat allegedly ignored repeated signals and attempted to flee. After a pursuit, Coast Guard personnel intercepted the vessel in southeastern waters near St. Martin’s Island.

A subsequent search of the boat led to the rescue of 153 trafficking victims and the arrest of 15 alleged traffickers.

Organized Networks Targeting Vulnerable Populations

Preliminary interrogation of the rescued individuals indicates that organized human trafficking syndicates had lured both Bangladeshi and Rohingya nationals from various locations, including Teknaf, with false promises of improved living conditions, high-paying jobs, and low-cost overseas migration opportunities.

Authorities believe the victims were being transported irregularly to Malaysia via maritime routes — a well-documented corridor frequently exploited by transnational trafficking networks operating in the Bay of Bengal.

Legal proceedings against the arrested suspects are currently underway, Coast Guard officials said, adding that further investigation is ongoing to dismantle the broader trafficking network.

The rescue underscores continuing risks faced by vulnerable communities in coastal regions, where economic hardship, displacement, and limited livelihood opportunities often increase susceptibility to trafficking schemes.

Tagged as: Camp schools,  Akyab,  Rohingya refugee camp,  community schools,  APBn,  RRRC,  foods shortage,  Balukhali,  ICC,  Sittwe,  hungers,  Bangadesh refugee camp,  ICJ,  Teknaf,  ration cut,  BGP,  accountability,  Burma-Bangladesh border,  Arakan,  RSO,  Buthidaung,  Bangladesh,  BGB,  Burma,  Malaysia going boat,  IDP camp in Arakan,  Genocide Convention,  Arakan Army,  Myanmar,  Military navy,  Kutupalong,  Cox's Bazar,  Rohingya boat people,  Maungdaw,  Military Council force,  Rakhine,  IIMM,  Rathedaung,  ARSA,  Rohingya,  war crimes,  Rohingya Refugee.