Dhaka, Apr 15: At least 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, were missing after a boat capsized in the Andaman Sea recently on the way to Malaysia, according to the United Nations’ refugee and migration agencies.
When the boat sank and the status of any search Wednesday were unclear.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration in a joint statement said Tuesday that the trawler departed from Teknaf in the southern Bangladeshi district of Cox’s Bazar carrying a large number of passengers to Malaysia.
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Overcrowding, strong winds and rough seas caused the vessel to lose control and sink, the agencies said.
UNHCR and IOM said the disappearance reflected the protracted displacement of Rohingya people and the absence of durable solutions.
They said ongoing violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state has made the Rohingyas’ safe return to Myanmar uncertain, and limited humanitarian assistance, restricted access to education and employment in refugee camps, continue to push vulnerable Rohingya refugees to choose risky sea journeys, often based on false promises of higher wages and better opportunities abroad.
UNHCR and IOM urged the international community to strengthen funding and solidarity to ensure lifesaving assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, which has sheltered more than 1 million Rohingya from Myanmar.
