20 Rohingyas, who escaped from Bhashan Char, detained in Ctg
The group consists of 10 adult men and women, and 10 children of various ages
Local residents in Chattogram detained 20 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, and handed them over to the police after they were found wandering suspiciously in the Bay Terminal area of Anandabazar under Bandar Police Station early Monday morning.
According to the police, the detainees had escaped from the Bhasan Char refugee camp in Noakhali before making their way to Chattogram.
The group consists of 10 adult men and women, and 10 children of various ages.
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The adults have been identified as Manjurul Haque, 50, Yunus, 25, Tayeb, 32, Faruk, 25, Selim, 22, Goni Islam, 22, Rasheda Begum, 24, Parveen Begum, 23, Aasiya, 20, and Noor Kaiyum, 18,
"Around 3:30 am to 4:00am locals noticed a suspicious group of men, women, and children in Anandabazar and alerted the police," Kazi Mohammad Sultan Ahsan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bandar Police Station, confirmed to The Business Standard,
"When we questioned them, they admitted to being Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Initially, they had taken shelter in the Ukhiya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar before being relocated to Bhasan Char," he added.
Citing the Rohingyas, he said they escaped Bhasan Char on Sunday with the help of human traffickers. They were transported by boat via the sea route and dropped off at the Anandabazar coast around 9:00 pm on Sunday, after which the trawler left.
OC Sultan Ahsan said, "We initially tried to send them back to Bhasan Char. However, upon receiving approval from the relevant authorities, we are relocating them to the Ukhiya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar."
Earlier on 19 December 2023, police detained 25 Rohingyas from the Parki Sea Beach in Anwara. Later on 1 January 2024, another 20 Rohingyas were caught from the same area. Both groups had similarly escaped from Bhasan Char.
