Law enforcement agencies in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf upazila have arrested two suspected ringleaders of a transnational human trafficking syndicate during a coordinated security sweep across local refugee settlements. The operation also led to the apprehension of a fugitive convicted in connection with murder and firearms offences, alongside ten other individuals penalised through mobile courts for various minor infractions.
The sweep was executed on Sunday across designated Rohingya refugee camps under the jurisdiction of the 16th Armed Police Battalion (APBN). Operating alongside multiple security units and administrative officials, the joint task force deployed personnel following a tip-off regarding illicit activities within the camps.
According to 16 APBN officials, intelligence operatives tracked down and detained sixty-five-year-old Md. Kabir, alias Doctor Kabir, alongside his forty-two-year-old associate Md. Ilyas, also known as Ilyas Member. Both men reside in Camp 24 at Leda within the Hnila union of Teknaf. Investigators identified the pair as primary coordinators behind a perilous maritime voyage in April 2026, during which a vessel carrying both Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya refugees capsized near the Andaman Islands. Coastguard personnel subsequently rescued several survivors who managed to stay afloat using floating timber and plastic drums.
In a separate operation conducted on the same day at the Nayapara registered Rohingya camp, authorities arrested thirty-six-year-old Abu Tayeb. He had been evading a judicial sentence that handed down a four-year prison term and a ten-thousand-taka fine following convictions in separate murder and weapons cases.
The security sweep also targeted petty crime and public order offences within the camp perimeters. Officers detained ten individuals for misdemeanours including drug consumption, domestic abuse, flouting administrative directives, and unauthorized entry into restricted zones. These offenders were immediately brought before mobile courts operating on-site.
| Offence Category | Judicial Penalty Imposed by Mobile Court |
| Violation of Camp Directives | Six months rigorous imprisonment (3 persons) |
| Specific Regulatory Infractions | Five months imprisonment (1 person) |
| Unauthorised Entry and Disturbance | Three months imprisonment (2 persons) |
| Minor Public Disorder and Misdemeanours | Five hundred taka financial penalty (4 persons) |
All suspects detained during the Sunday sweep were handed over to Teknaf police station for formal legal processing and subsequent court appearances.
Mohammad Kausar Sikdar, additional DIG and commander of the 16 APBN in Teknaf, confirmed the details of the operation to media personnel. He emphasised that coordinated security patrols and targeted raids will continue across the camp areas to maintain public order, curb illicit trafficking networks, and suppress criminal enterprises.
