Dhaka: Most of these Rohingya had left the refugee camps in Bangladesh to try and reach Malaysia but were unable enter the country or any other place, and decided to return, according to the coastguard spokesperson Lieutenant commander Hamidul Islam.
“Last night we detained them when they were trying to enter to Bangladesh. They were 382 people on the boat,” Islam told Efe news.
“They told us that they left Bangladesh about two months ago for Malaysia and were joined by some other Rohingya from Myanmar’s Arakan on their way,” he added.
Islam said the coastguard officials learned that at least 28 people died from lack of food and water while at sea, and the bodies had been dumped into the water.
The office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees thanked the local officials for providing support to the Rohingya aboard the vessel.