Police rescued 38 Rohingya refugees including 30 children on Wednesday (January 16) afternoon after they entered Bangladesh by crossing the Bay of Bengal illegally through the Teknaf coastline in Cox's Bazar from Myanmar.
Among the 38 people, eight are women and the rest are children, said Inspector Shovon Kumar Saha, in-charge of the Baharchara Police Investigation Centre in Teknaf.
They were rescued from Noakhaliapara in Baharchara union on Wednesday afternoon and now they are under police custody, he said.
Brokers took them to a hill in Noakhaliapara by boat, the official said, adding that they were waiting to be taken to different Rohingya camps, where they have relatives.
Inspector Shovon Kumar Saha said, "We are waiting for instructions from our higher authorities. They (authorities) have been informed, and actions will be taken as per their instructions."
He added that the refugees are from Myanmar, but their exact place of origin could not be known yet.
Earlier on January 5, Border Guard Bangladesh members detained 36 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, while trying to enter the country by a trawler at Sabrang Mundardail in Teknaf. They were later sent back to their home country.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehsan Uddin said efforts are underway to gather more information about the Rohingya infiltration.
Different law enforcing agencies have been directed to work together to prevent illegal entry into Bangladesh.
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