A joint operation by the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) rescued 15 people, including women, men, and children, who were being held for trafficking to Malaysia. The operation took place on Sunday, 15 February 2026, at Baharchhara in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq confirmed the rescue on Monday, stating that the victims were confined in a warehouse owned by alleged trafficker Md. Abdul Ali.

According to intelligence sources, several organized trafficking groups had been luring Bangladeshi and Rohingya citizens from different parts of the country with promises of better living conditions, high-paying jobs, and low-cost travel abroad. They planned to smuggle the victims to Malaysia by sea. During the raid, the traffickers fled before security forces could detain them.

The rescued individuals were later handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station for legal procedures. The Coast Guard stated that similar operations will continue to prevent human trafficking in the region.