Cries Across Teknaf: “Where is My Son?”

Abdur Rahman, Teknaf | Cox’s Bazar

On the coast of Cox’s Bazar, the waves do not always carry water. At times, they bring stories of grief, disappearance, and long, silent waiting. Along the shores of Teknaf, the sound of crashing waves now echoes with the cries of countless mothers asking, “Where is my son?”

In the narrow lanes of Shah Porir Dwip, in open fields at dusk, and along the Naf River—places once filled with children’s laughter, football games, and dreams—uncertainty now casts a shadow.

In Teknaf, nightfall brings more than darkness; it brings fear. Dreams drift away across the sea, while families remain onshore, waiting in endless anxiety and sorrow.

Anas lured into disappearance

Mohammad Anas, a 14-year-old boy from Shah Porir Dwip, was a seventh-grade student at Haji Bashir Ahmed High School. Football was his dream, and that dream led him into darkness.

Local traffickers lured him with promises of playing football abroad. He was later sold to another trafficking group for 40,000 taka and taken onto a boat, allegedly bound for Malaysia.

The last contact with his family came through a phone call. From the other end, a ransom of 300,000 taka was demanded, with threats of killing him if the money was not paid.

The family borrowed money to meet the demand. But even after three months, Anas has not returned.

“We paid the money, but did not get our son back,” said his mother, Shomuda Begum. “They took him away with promises of football. Later they threatened to kill him and took three lakh taka. Still, they have not returned my son. I went to the police, but received no justice.”

The family alleged that the accused traffickers continue to move openly in the area without effective action taken against them.

Shomuda Begum said they paid the money to relatives of a broker named Ibrahim, who is reportedly in Malaysia, through his nephew Faruk. “We paid three lakh taka, but still have not got our son back,” she said, adding that complaints were filed with police and local representatives, but no resolution has come.

Disappeared while playing

Abdur Rahman, from a modest family in North Para of Shah Porir Dwip, lived a normal life filled with laughter and dreams.

One afternoon, he went out to play and never returned.

At first, the family thought he might be with friends. But as hours turned into days, concern turned into fear.

A few days later, a call came from an unknown number. The voice on the other end said he had been trafficked to Malaysia through local brokers.

What followed was a nightmare.

His brother, Abdus Salam, said, “After taking him to Malaysia, they demanded three lakh taka. They threatened to kill him if we did not pay. We are poor people. It is impossible for us to arrange such money.”

Every day now passes in uncertainty for the family—waiting for a call, hoping for any news, staring at the door in anticipation.

Whether Abdur Rahman is still alive remains unknown.

Alarming statistics

According to law enforcement data:

From 2016 to 2025, a total of 3,134 people attempting to go to Malaysia were rescued in Cox’s Bazar.
Most of them were Rohingya.
A total of 115 cases were filed in Ukhiya and Teknaf police stations.
Around 1,100 people were accused.
About 600 traffickers were arrested.

On January 4 this year, the navy rescued 263 victims, including women and children, from the sea southwest of Saint Martin’s Island. Ten members of trafficking groups were detained.

New routes and methods of trafficking

Residents alleged that trafficking activities have recently increased around Gholar Char in Shah Porir Dwip.

According to them, the network operates in several stages.

First, local brokers target teenagers and young men, offering dreams of football careers or better jobs abroad. In some cases, victims are abducted directly while outside their homes.

Second, victims are quickly moved to hidden locations before families can begin searching. They are then taken to remote coastal points where small trawlers are prepared.

Third, under the cover of night, they are transported into deep sea, where they are transferred to larger vessels heading toward Malaysia or Thailand.

Fourth, ransom demands begin. Families said traffickers based abroad call and demand large sums of money. They threaten torture or death if the money is not paid. In some cases, victims’ cries or sounds of abuse are played over the phone to pressure families.

Fifth, even after ransom is paid, many victims never return. Some remain missing, while others are feared dead.

Investigations indicate that both local brokers and an international network are involved. Local recruiters hand over victims to overseas operatives, and ransom money is shared among them.

Families alleged that many of these traffickers have operated for years and remain beyond the reach of law due to local influence.

There are also allegations that many victims are taken by force.

Trafficking through 15 coastal points

At least 15 points in Teknaf are reportedly used regularly for trafficking under the cover of darkness, according to the reporter’s findings. A well-organized network of brokers is said to be involved.

Multiple local sources, intelligence reports, and victim accounts identified several individuals allegedly linked to trafficking networks in Shah Porir Dwip and surrounding areas. Attempts to contact the accused for comment were unsuccessful.

Police response: “Operations ongoing”

Officer-in-Charge Saiful Islam of Teknaf Model Police Station said, “Human trafficking is an international crime. We are highly active in preventing it. Regular operations are ongoing, and several suspects have already been arrested.”

He added that recent information about boats heading to Malaysia is being verified, and surveillance in coastal areas has been strengthened.

Waiting in despair

An invisible fear now grips the coast of Teknaf. Just as waves return to the shore, will the lost sons return home?

Anas’s mother still waits at the door, startled by every sound, hoping it might be her son returning. But as time passes, that hope fades.

A simple temptation, a single call—“Will you go abroad to play?”—and boys like Anas disappear.

Those small steps that left home never return. Calls come, demands come, fear comes—but the person never comes back.