A boat carrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi citizens capsized in the Andaman Sea. About nine people have been saved in this accident, while 250 people are missing. Many people were illegally boarding this boat going to Malaysia. After this incident, the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHCR) and the International Health Organization (IOM) urged the international community to increase funding to assist Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
Boat sank due to strong winds: UNHCR
The United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHCR) said, ‘The boat, which was bound for Malaysia after leaving Teknaf in southern Bangladesh, reportedly sank due to strong winds and overcrowding.’ Bangladeshi Coast Guard said that Bangladesh flagged ship MT Meghna Pride was going from Chittagong to Indonesia.
UNHCR told why such incidents happen?
According to UNHCR, due to misinformation and human trafficking networks, many people are forced to undertake dangerous sea journeys. He said that often these people are taken to other places illegally by sea by making false promises of higher salary and better facilities abroad. He said that many times people have lost their lives during such voyages in the Andaman Sea.
9 people were rescued last week
According to The Daily Star, nine people were rescued by a Bangladesh-flagged ship from international waters near the Andaman Islands on April 9. Rafiqul Islam, a victim from the Rohingya community, said that he was captured in Teknaf after being lured with the promise of a job, then taken to the seashore and forced onto a fishing boat. He claimed that about 280 people, including women and children, were on board that boat, many of whom were crammed into the store room.
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