Dhaka Tribune
Shafiur Rahman
Publish : 03 Jan 2024,
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Rohingya refugees try to swim to the beach, in Pineung, Aceh province on November 16, 2023. Photo: AFP
Along the 750-mile-long expanse of the Andaman Sea, a troubling narrative continues to unfold as Rohingya refugees embark on perilous journeys, seeking asylum away from the strife and instability of their homeland and the refugee camps of Bangladesh.
The latest chapter in this ongoing saga revolves around “Boat No 07,” a vessel that has been shrouded in distress and uncertainty.
As of December 2023, fears have intensified among the anxious families in the refugee camps of Bangladesh, with growing concerns that Boat No 07 has succumbed to the sea.
This boat, designated "Boat No 07" as it was the seventh boat to embark on the journey since the onset of November, is part of a larger exodus of Rohingya fleeing the dire conditions in Bangladesh.
Reports indicate that since November 2023, a staggering 2,330 Rohingya have been victimized by human smuggling networks, attempting to reach Indonesian shores.
While 1,731 Rohingya have successfully landed in Indonesia's Aceh province, the fate of many others, including those on Boat No 07, remains uncertain.
Rohingya journalist Saiful Arakani is at the forefront of chronicling the precarious odyssey of the Rohingya refugees, focusing his investigation on the recent voyages of 14 boats towards Indonesia and Malaysia.
Yet, the story of Boat No 07 remains shrouded in apprehension and mystery. Despite no confirmation of its fate, concerns and rumors circulate among the refugee community and their families, who fear the worst but still hope for news of survival.
Interviews with 20 families who lost contact with their loved ones when the boat disappeared on November 27, 2023 reveal a tale of betrayal and despair. These families, haunted by the uncertainty of their relatives' fate, shared their accounts of the events leading up to the boat's departure.
Life in the camps was a constant struggle for security," Korim Ullah explained. "The desperation led my brother to take a chance."
He recounts how Mohammed Nozim, a trafficker reportedly based in Indonesia, visited the camps, offering false hope to the Rohingya: "He said he had made the journey to Indonesia many times, promising safe passage for as little as 1 lakh – an amount that, in our dire situation, seemed like a small price for a chance at a better life."
Zahid, brother of Korim Ullah, swayed by Nozim's promises, paid a hefty sum of 7 lakhs to Nozim's father in Cox's Bazar town for his family members. The family was then covertly moved from Kutupalong just days before their scheduled departure on November 21.
Ullah’s voice trembles as he adds: "I find it hard to believe my brother and his family are still out there, alive."
The tale takes a darker turn with allegations that Nozim was not just a facilitator but also a passenger on one of these boats. Ullah heard rumours that Nozim had prioritized his relatives, transferring them to a boat with a functioning engine when things went awry.
"It's like they were playing with our lives, deciding who gets to survive and who doesn't," Ullah says with despair.
In fact, two boats -- Boat No 07 and Boat No 08 – set out together from Saint Martin Island on November 21, 2023.
Mohammed Nozim and Mohammed Hossain, not just business partners but also connected by family as brother-in-laws, were identified as the primary owners of these two vessels. Each family seeking passage was charged 1 lakh Bangladeshi Taka per asylum seeker.
On November 21, 2023, their journey commenced from Saint Martin Island, bound for Indonesia. While Boat No 08 reached Indonesia's Aceh Pidie on December 10 with 202 asylum seekers, Boat No 07, carrying over 200 individuals, has become the source of mounting concern and uncertainty.
The families of those aboard Boat No 07 recounted the distressing details they heard leading up to the last contact with the vessel. Their stories paint a vivid picture of the boat's struggle for survival after its propeller fan was damaged. Adrift and at the mercy of the sea's whims, Boat No 07 was temporarily tethered to another vessel owned by Mohammed Amin and Mohammed Nozim, in a desperate attempt to maintain course.
This temporary lifeline, however, was not to last. In a turn of events that would exacerbate the already dire situation, some individuals were transferred from Boat No 07 to Boat No 08 following the engine failure. This action, while offering a glimmer of hope to a few, set the stage for a subsequent decision that would drastically alter the fate of those remaining on Boat No 07.
The families, relaying accounts they received from survivors who arrived on Boat No 08, spoke of a heart-wrenching decision made by the traffickers. In a move that still haunts those who heard of it, Mohammed Hamid, the boatman, severed the rope that connected the two boats. This act left Boat No 07, now without its makeshift tow, adrift in the Andaman Sea.
The relatives in Bangladesh, who were in contact with the asylum seekers on Boat No 08 after its landing, shared the terrifying details of this decision. They described the palpable sense of horror and disbelief upon learning that Boat No 07 had been abandoned to its fate.
Habez Ullah, who had four family members split between the two boats, shared a particularly harrowing account. According to the survivors on Boat No 08, boatman Hamid made the decision to sever the rope connecting the vessels.
"After they cut the rope, and when our boat was no longer in sight, they heard a noise," Ullah relayed, his voice heavy with grief and anger. "If Hamid was in front of me, I would kill him. I entrusted my family to him." The loss was personal and profound, including Ullah's 14-year-old daughter.
Phone call recordings between Mohammed Nozim and Mohammed Hossain, shared with Saiful Arakani, offer chilling insight into their discussions as the engine failed in the Andaman Sea. These calls have become vital in tracing the last known moments of Boat No 07.
Saiful Arakani expressed deep shock at what he was hearing from the families. He said: "The news that a boat full of helpless people was deliberately cut loose is utterly shocking."
Arakani detailed a significant incident involving Nozim: "Nozim actually called me to dispute a report I had published about the rope being cut," Arakani said. "He insisted that it was the wind that separated the boats, not any deliberate action. But this version is contradicted by what the families have told me. They are adamant that the rope was intentionally cut.”
In a further development, boatman Hamid, implicated in the trafficking operations, brazenly appeared in an Indonesian TV report. Featuring survivors of Boat No 08, Hamid spoke in the Indonesian language, masquerading as a refugee. This audacious act of deception by Hamid, who is in fact a trafficker, was broadcast on national television.
A deeper look into the human smuggling network behind these journeys reveals a complex, familial web of operations orchestrated by the Rohingya themselves at the ground level.
Central to this network is Mohammed Nozim, who has been involved in smuggling since 2012, and Hamid, the boatman since 2020.
Intriguingly, these key figures are not only partners in crime but also connected by blood and marriage. The operations, run with a chilling efficiency from Indonesia, have become a recurring nightmare for the Rohingya community.
This pattern is not unique to Boat No 07; similar stories have emerged from other boats that have left Bangladesh in the last two months.
While the ground-level perpetrators are often Rohingya themselves, ensnared in a vicious cycle of exploitation, the scope of the crisis is sustained by an extensive network of international mafia and complicit authorities.
Investigations reveal that the trafficking syndicates, operating across borders, are intricately linked with certain elements within local law enforcement and governmental authorities, who turn a blind eye or actively participate in the illegal trade.
In recent weeks, families in Bangladesh have informed Arakani that individuals like Nozim and Hamid have apparently been successful in extracting refugees from Indonesian camps, a process allegedly facilitated by the involvement and approval of local law enforcement officials.
Boat No 07, with its unknown fate, has become a reminder of the unknown and unseen perils that refugees confront in their quest for safety. Its uncertain fate mirrors the silent struggles of many who embark on such journeys, their stories and hardships frequently unnoticed or forgotten in the broader narrative of the refugee crisis.
Shafiur Rahman is a journalist and documentary film-maker.
As of December 2023, fears have intensified among the anxious families in the refugee camps of Bangladesh, with growing concerns that Boat No 07 has succumbed to the sea.
This boat, designated "Boat No 07" as it was the seventh boat to embark on the journey since the onset of November, is part of a larger exodus of Rohingya fleeing the dire conditions in Bangladesh.
Reports indicate that since November 2023, a staggering 2,330 Rohingya have been victimized by human smuggling networks, attempting to reach Indonesian shores.
While 1,731 Rohingya have successfully landed in Indonesia's Aceh province, the fate of many others, including those on Boat No 07, remains uncertain.
Rohingya journalist Saiful Arakani is at the forefront of chronicling the precarious odyssey of the Rohingya refugees, focusing his investigation on the recent voyages of 14 boats towards Indonesia and Malaysia.
Yet, the story of Boat No 07 remains shrouded in apprehension and mystery. Despite no confirmation of its fate, concerns and rumors circulate among the refugee community and their families, who fear the worst but still hope for news of survival.
Interviews with 20 families who lost contact with their loved ones when the boat disappeared on November 27, 2023 reveal a tale of betrayal and despair. These families, haunted by the uncertainty of their relatives' fate, shared their accounts of the events leading up to the boat's departure.
Life in the camps was a constant struggle for security," Korim Ullah explained. "The desperation led my brother to take a chance."
He recounts how Mohammed Nozim, a trafficker reportedly based in Indonesia, visited the camps, offering false hope to the Rohingya: "He said he had made the journey to Indonesia many times, promising safe passage for as little as 1 lakh – an amount that, in our dire situation, seemed like a small price for a chance at a better life."
Zahid, brother of Korim Ullah, swayed by Nozim's promises, paid a hefty sum of 7 lakhs to Nozim's father in Cox's Bazar town for his family members. The family was then covertly moved from Kutupalong just days before their scheduled departure on November 21.
Ullah’s voice trembles as he adds: "I find it hard to believe my brother and his family are still out there, alive."
The tale takes a darker turn with allegations that Nozim was not just a facilitator but also a passenger on one of these boats. Ullah heard rumours that Nozim had prioritized his relatives, transferring them to a boat with a functioning engine when things went awry.
"It's like they were playing with our lives, deciding who gets to survive and who doesn't," Ullah says with despair.
In fact, two boats -- Boat No 07 and Boat No 08 – set out together from Saint Martin Island on November 21, 2023.
Mohammed Nozim and Mohammed Hossain, not just business partners but also connected by family as brother-in-laws, were identified as the primary owners of these two vessels. Each family seeking passage was charged 1 lakh Bangladeshi Taka per asylum seeker.
On November 21, 2023, their journey commenced from Saint Martin Island, bound for Indonesia. While Boat No 08 reached Indonesia's Aceh Pidie on December 10 with 202 asylum seekers, Boat No 07, carrying over 200 individuals, has become the source of mounting concern and uncertainty.
The families of those aboard Boat No 07 recounted the distressing details they heard leading up to the last contact with the vessel. Their stories paint a vivid picture of the boat's struggle for survival after its propeller fan was damaged. Adrift and at the mercy of the sea's whims, Boat No 07 was temporarily tethered to another vessel owned by Mohammed Amin and Mohammed Nozim, in a desperate attempt to maintain course.
This temporary lifeline, however, was not to last. In a turn of events that would exacerbate the already dire situation, some individuals were transferred from Boat No 07 to Boat No 08 following the engine failure. This action, while offering a glimmer of hope to a few, set the stage for a subsequent decision that would drastically alter the fate of those remaining on Boat No 07.
The families, relaying accounts they received from survivors who arrived on Boat No 08, spoke of a heart-wrenching decision made by the traffickers. In a move that still haunts those who heard of it, Mohammed Hamid, the boatman, severed the rope that connected the two boats. This act left Boat No 07, now without its makeshift tow, adrift in the Andaman Sea.
The relatives in Bangladesh, who were in contact with the asylum seekers on Boat No 08 after its landing, shared the terrifying details of this decision. They described the palpable sense of horror and disbelief upon learning that Boat No 07 had been abandoned to its fate.
Habez Ullah, who had four family members split between the two boats, shared a particularly harrowing account. According to the survivors on Boat No 08, boatman Hamid made the decision to sever the rope connecting the vessels.
"After they cut the rope, and when our boat was no longer in sight, they heard a noise," Ullah relayed, his voice heavy with grief and anger. "If Hamid was in front of me, I would kill him. I entrusted my family to him." The loss was personal and profound, including Ullah's 14-year-old daughter.
Phone call recordings between Mohammed Nozim and Mohammed Hossain, shared with Saiful Arakani, offer chilling insight into their discussions as the engine failed in the Andaman Sea. These calls have become vital in tracing the last known moments of Boat No 07.
Saiful Arakani expressed deep shock at what he was hearing from the families. He said: "The news that a boat full of helpless people was deliberately cut loose is utterly shocking."
Arakani detailed a significant incident involving Nozim: "Nozim actually called me to dispute a report I had published about the rope being cut," Arakani said. "He insisted that it was the wind that separated the boats, not any deliberate action. But this version is contradicted by what the families have told me. They are adamant that the rope was intentionally cut.”
In a further development, boatman Hamid, implicated in the trafficking operations, brazenly appeared in an Indonesian TV report. Featuring survivors of Boat No 08, Hamid spoke in the Indonesian language, masquerading as a refugee. This audacious act of deception by Hamid, who is in fact a trafficker, was broadcast on national television.
A deeper look into the human smuggling network behind these journeys reveals a complex, familial web of operations orchestrated by the Rohingya themselves at the ground level.
Central to this network is Mohammed Nozim, who has been involved in smuggling since 2012, and Hamid, the boatman since 2020.
Intriguingly, these key figures are not only partners in crime but also connected by blood and marriage. The operations, run with a chilling efficiency from Indonesia, have become a recurring nightmare for the Rohingya community.
This pattern is not unique to Boat No 07; similar stories have emerged from other boats that have left Bangladesh in the last two months.
While the ground-level perpetrators are often Rohingya themselves, ensnared in a vicious cycle of exploitation, the scope of the crisis is sustained by an extensive network of international mafia and complicit authorities.
Investigations reveal that the trafficking syndicates, operating across borders, are intricately linked with certain elements within local law enforcement and governmental authorities, who turn a blind eye or actively participate in the illegal trade.
In recent weeks, families in Bangladesh have informed Arakani that individuals like Nozim and Hamid have apparently been successful in extracting refugees from Indonesian camps, a process allegedly facilitated by the involvement and approval of local law enforcement officials.
Boat No 07, with its unknown fate, has become a reminder of the unknown and unseen perils that refugees confront in their quest for safety. Its uncertain fate mirrors the silent struggles of many who embark on such journeys, their stories and hardships frequently unnoticed or forgotten in the broader narrative of the refugee crisis.
Shafiur Rahman is a journalist and documentary film-maker.
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