BD lists 300 traffickers for action

Bangladesh has intensified a crackdown to nab traffickers amid detention of illegal migrants by Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, report agencies.
The law enforcers in Bangladesh have been handed a list of 300 traffickers prepared by the home ministry on intelligence provided by several security agencies for taking action against them.
Most of the listed offenders are from Cox's Bazar operating under local influence.
The move came with Malaysia joining Indonesia on Wednesday in vowing to turn back vessels ferrying a wave of migrants to Southeast Asian shores, deepening the misery facing boatloads of people who advocates say are at risk of starvation and disease.
According to bdnews24.com, Bangladesh security forces geared up their drive against traffickers on home ministry's instructions following the discovery of mass graves in slave camps in Thai jungles bordering Malaysia.
Fishing trawlers have come under sharper scrutiny to curb illegal migrations.
According to a report filed by the Police Headquarters in December last year, the traffickers ring consist citizens of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia.
AFP adds: A group advocating the rights of Rohingya, a Muslim minority in Myanmar, says as many as 8,000 other people may be adrift.
The Arakan Project also said it had spoken by phone with passengers aboard one vessel carrying 350 people, who said they were abandoned by their Thai smugglers.
"They told us they have had no food and water for the last three days. They have called for urgent rescue," said Chris Lewa, the group's founder.
Thousands of Rohingya people, who are denied citizenship by Buddhist-majority Myanmar, flee annually.