A human trafficker has been arrested in a joint operation by the Coast Guard and Navy at a hideout of human traffickers in the deep hills of Teknaf. A total of five people, including four women and a child, who were detained for the purpose of trafficking, were rescued. On Sunday (October 26) afternoon, Bangladesh Coast Guard Media Officer Lt. Commander Siam-ul-Haq confirmed this information.

He said that based on confidential sources and information provided by previously detained traffickers, it is known that some women and children have been detained in the hilly area adjacent to Habirchhara in Teknaf for the purpose of trafficking to Malaysia. Based on that information, members of the Coast Guard and Navy jointly conducted an operation at around 2 am on Saturday.

Four women and a child were rescued from the hideout of the traffickers in the operation and a human trafficker was arrested. The rescued people said that the organized trafficking gang had brought them to Teknaf and imprisoned them in the hilly area by luring them with a better life abroad, high-paying jobs and low-cost travel abroad. Later, the traffickers planned to take advantage of the opportunity and send them to Malaysia by boat via the Marine Drive coast. They were also trying to extort ransom by torturing the hostages. The Coast Guard official said that further legal action is under process regarding the arrested traffickers and the rescued people. Lt. Commander Siam-ul-Haq also said, “Such operations of the Bangladesh Coast Guard to prevent human trafficking will continue in the future as well.