Navy intercepts boat off St Martin's, detains 273 attempting illegal sea journey to Malaysia

The Bangladesh Navy has detained 273 people, including 10 suspected traffickers, during their attempt to travel illegally to Malaysia by sea, thwarting what officials describe as a major human trafficking attempt in the Bay of Bengal.

The operation was carried out late last night (3 January) by naval ship BNS Swadhinata during a routine patrol near St Martin's Island, acting on intelligence inputs, the Navy said in a statement this afternoon.

According to the navy, the patrol team spotted a wooden boat behaving suspiciously around 30 nautical miles southwest of St Martin's Island. When signalled to stop, the boat attempted to flee by increasing speed, prompting a chase.

After a brief pursuit, the naval vessel intercepted the boat and detained all those on board.

"Preliminary interrogation revealed that all the detained individuals were attempting to travel illegally to Malaysia through a human trafficking network," the navy said.

Naval officials said 10 members of a trafficking ring were among those detained, while the remaining passengers were migrants who had paid traffickers to arrange the risky sea journey.

The wooden boat and all detainees were later turned over to the Teknaf police for further legal action.

The navy said the boat had set out without minimum life-saving equipment, adequate food, drinking water, or basic safety arrangements.

"Such a journey could have resulted in a serious humanitarian disaster in open-sea conditions," the statement said, adding that timely intervention prevented a potentially tragic outcome.

The Bangladesh Navy also reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the country's maritime boundaries and preventing crimes such as human trafficking, smuggling, and illegal infiltration through sea routes.

Security agencies have repeatedly warned against illegal migration by sea, which often involves overcrowded and unsafe vessels, putting lives at extreme risk.