Online Desk :  A trawler carrying 31 Rohingyas and two Border Guard Police (BGP) personnel of Myanmar has anchored at Saint Martin’s Island. The trawler carrying passengers arrived at the Saint Martin’s Island from Mongdu in Myanmar early on Friday (July 5), amid intense clashes between the armed forces of Myanmar’s Rakhine State and Arakan Army. The two BGP members were armed, while the 31 Rohingyas included 10 women, 10 men, and 11 children were not carrying any arms.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Adnan Chowdhury confirmed that the Rohingyas and Myanmar’s BGP took refuge on the island. They are now under the BGB custody at Saint Martins Island. However, the BGB has not yet informed me about it, he further said. “I heard that the boat’s engine malfunctioned due to heavy rain, causing it to drift ashore.” The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the coast guard are handling the situation, he added. Subedar Anwar Hossain, in-charge of Saint Martin’s Island, said those 33 people have come by a trawler. They have been kept under the BGB custody.

Saint Martin’s Island union chairman Mujibur Rahman said that he learnt that the trawler with the 33 passengers on board arrived at Saint Martin’s Island amid torrential rains and inclement weather early Friday morning. Now, they have been kept at a resort at the northern side of the beach under Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)’s vigilance. The BGP members were carrying arms.