At least four Rohingya refugees, including a woman, have died, and several others, including a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) member, remain missing after a boat carrying over 50 people capsized off the coast of Teknaf while attempting to enter Bangladesh from Myanmar.

The bodies were recovered from the western coastal area of Shah Porir Dwip on Saturday, confirmed Sheikh Ahsan Uddin, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Teknaf.

“Several others, including a BGB member, are still missing. Law enforcement agencies are actively working on the matter,” he added.

The incident occurred around 2:30 am on Friday night when BGB personnel, assisted by local fishermen, intercepted a boat near Shah Porir Dwip. According to local sources, as a BGB member boarded the boat, rough waves overturned it, throwing passengers into the sea.

BGB and local fishermen rescued 25 individuals, including women and children, while a search operation was launched to locate the missing individuals. Survivors reported that the boat carried more than 50 people.

The boat is believed to have been operated by a human trafficking ring led by local traffickers Iman Hossain and Abul Monsur, who allegedly facilitated the illegal transportation of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.

Lt Col Md Ashikur Rahman, commander of Teknaf-2 BGB Battalion, confirmed that the boat capsized due to a rupture in its hull.

“BGB personnel, with the help of local fishermen, managed to save 25 individuals, including children. However, one of our members went missing during the rescue operation. The boat has been recovered, but no further survivors have been found yet. Floating bodies are still visible in the sea, and our rescue operation is ongoing,” he stated.

The rescued Rohingya refugees are currently in BGB custody. Search and rescue efforts continue in hopes of finding more survivors.