Authorities have detained 37 Rohingyas who fled the Bhasan Char shelter camp during a joint operation by the Bangladesh Navy and police in Sandwip upazila of Chattogram.

The operation took place on Friday night in the Beribandh area of Santoshpur union after local residents spotted the group near Hilsa Ghat around 11:30pm and informed law enforcement. Members of the navy and police later apprehended them from the area.

According to police, the group consisted of eight men, six women and 23 children and adolescents. They told authorities that human traffickers had promised to transport them to the Sitakunda coast in exchange for Tk 5,000 each.

Officials said the Rohingyas left Bhasan Char last Tuesday and initially stayed in Paraban before attempting to reach Sitakunda by boat on Wednesday night. However, their vessel reportedly sank near the shore and they were later rescued by another boat.

Citing local administration, the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported that the group drifted at sea for nearly three days after their boat ran out of fuel. The brokers allegedly abandoned them at Sandwip Ghat after taking their cash, gold ornaments and mobile phones.

Officer-in-Charge Zahed Noor of Sandwip Police Station arranged temporary shelter for the group at the Santoshpur Union Parishad building. Following administrative instructions, the Rohingyas are expected to be returned to the Bhasan Char shelter camp.

BOB post