DHAKA: The Bangladesh coastguard yesterday rescued a stricken boat in the Bay of Bengal packed with 300 nationals who were trying to flee to Malaysia, an official said.
At least four bodies were on board the Malaysia-bound boat, which was being towed to a Bangladeshi island in rough seas, the official and one of the passengers said.
Bangladeshi coastguard commander Shahidul Islam said that the remaining 300 passengers were safe.
“They told us that there are four dead bodies in the ship. We haven’t searched the ship yet. We’re bringing it to the Saint Martin’s Island,” he said.
Islam could not confirm how the four died, but one of the passengers said from aboard the boat that they were fired on as they tried to leave Bangladesh’s southern coast. Bangladesh and Myanmar share a land border and tensions are high. Last month a Bangladeshi border guard was killed following clashes with Myanmar border police.
AFP
