Desperate Rohingya refugees are undertaking increasingly perilous sea journeys in a surge of human trafficking, seeking a better life as conditions in their camps deteriorate. A recent wave of departures towards Malaysia has tragically led to a record number of deaths at sea, highlighting the extreme risks individuals are willing to take to escape their current reality.
The Perilous Journey and Its Human Cost
One harrowing account comes from a 25-year-old Rohingya woman who, in April, boarded a boat bound for Malaysia. The vessel, carrying approximately 280 people, sank after four days at sea in the Andaman Sea off Bangladesh. She recounted spending two days and one night adrift, clinging to a wooden plank before being rescued. “I was floating like a dead body, and after great difficulty managed to raise my head slightly,” she described, emphasizing the sheer will to survive against overwhelming odds.
This individual is among the vast Rohingya population who fled war-torn Myanmar’s Rakhine state, now residing in sprawling refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that 2025 was the deadliest year on record for Rohingya sea crossings, with nearly 900 individuals reported dead or missing. Tragically, these fatalities have continued into 2026, underscoring the ongoing crisis.
Escalating Exodus and Deteriorating Conditions
Having arrived in Cox’s Bazar in 2017, the woman joined a growing exodus in April, with refugees aiming for Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. This flight is driven by worsening conditions within the camps, which many describe as an “open-air prison.” Bangladesh’s restrictions on refugees, including barring most from leaving the camps or engaging in formal work, leave many with few viable options for improving their lives.
Human trafficking has become a highly lucrative, albeit brutal, trade. Recruiters and criminal gangs prey on the refugees’ hope for a better future, selling them passage on dangerous voyages. “The networks include people who live in the camps and individuals from Teknaf, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia,” one trafficker revealed to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on condition of anonymity. These journeys often commence in Teknaf, with migrants packed onto trawlers before being transferred to larger, often unseaworthy, vessels at sea.
The Trafficker’s Perspective
The trafficker interviewed by AFP admitted to earning significant sums, up to 250,000 taka (approximately $2,000) per shipment, yet did not perceive his actions as criminal. This perspective highlights the complex motivations and justifications within trafficking networks, where profit often overshadows the profound human suffering involved.
Mounting Departures and Official Responses
Despite the extreme dangers, the desire to leave remains potent. In 2025 alone, over 6,500 Rohingya attempted sea departures, with one in seven reportedly lost at sea. UNHCR data indicates a significant increase in departures from the camps, with 2,300 recorded between January and May of the current year, compared to 1,180 during the same period last year.
Authorities are actively working to combat this surge in trafficking. Lieutenant Mohammad Rawnak Rahman of the Bangladesh Coast Guard patrols the Naf River, the border with Myanmar, maintaining a state of “maximum alert.” “We’re doing everything we can to get the situation under control,” he stated, reporting that the coast guard had rescued 618 trafficking victims already this year. His patrols involve navigating between fishing boats, with a constant watch kept on Myanmar’s Rakhine state, where ongoing clashes between rebel groups and junta forces add another layer of instability.
Challenges in Prosecution and Resource Limitations
The scale of the problem presents significant challenges for the justice system. In Cox’s Bazar, prosecutor Tawhidul Anwar reported handling around 500 human trafficking cases, noting difficulties in obtaining evidence and the powerful influence of traffickers. He highlighted the concerning reality that traffickers arrested in connection with the April shipwreck were released on bail, despite facing potential life sentences.
Local police superintendent ANM Sajedur Rahman echoed these sentiments, pointing to a lack of resources to effectively dismantle the extensive trafficking networks. “The problem is that the Rohingya want to escape at any cost,” he observed.
The Rohingya Perspective on Escape
Sayed Ullah, president of the United Rohingya Council, defended the refugees’ desperate attempts to leave. “Each person has to survive on two meals a day, and 16 taka (US$0.13),” he stated. “No one should be surprised that people try to leave, hoping to find something better.” This perspective underscores the dire living conditions that compel individuals to risk everything for a chance at a more dignified existence.
The Need for Lasting Solutions
Authorities in Bangladesh acknowledge that easing restrictions on refugees is difficult due to already strained national resources. The ultimate solution, many believe, lies in achieving “lasting peace” within Myanmar. However, the conflict that erupted following the 2021 military coup continues unabated, with an estimated over 100,000 lives lost, according to the US-based NGO Acled.
For individuals like the woman who survived the sea disaster, the dream of freedom remains elusive. Reflecting from her makeshift shelter in Cox’s Bazar, she expressed a profound sense of despair: “God has granted me peace nowhere in this world. Not in my country, not here.” Her words encapsulate the deep-seated yearning for safety and stability that drives these perilous journeys.
