Siraz Ullah, a 24-year-old Rohingya refugee, is feared dead after the boat he boarded for Malaysia went missing in late June.
Key facts
- •Siraz Ullah was a 24-year-old Rohingya refugee and aspiring professional footballer.
- •The UN believes two boats carrying a total of 530 people may have capsized off the Myanmar coast.
- •Ullah’s family last had contact with him on June 22.
- •In April, 250 Rohingya refugees died when a boat capsized in the Andaman Sea.
- •Criminal networks often charge ransoms and use boats ill-equipped for rough seas to transport refugees.
Siraz Ullah, a 24-year-old Rohingya refugee, is among approximately 500 people feared dead after two boats carrying refugees from Myanmar went missing at sea in late June. The UN believes the vessels, carrying 250 and 280 people respectively, may have capsized off the Myanmar coast. Ullah, a footballer who sought to reach Malaysia to pursue a professional career, has not been heard from since June 22.
By the numbers
A Dangerous Journey
Ullah’s family last spoke to him on June 22, shortly before his boat departed. While there are rumors that the vessel may have been hijacked by rival traffickers, there has been no confirmed news regarding the passengers. Ullah had previously attempted to reach Malaysia in 2022, but that journey ended when his boat was caught in a storm and he was imprisoned by Myanmar authorities, requiring his family to pay a 2.9 million kyat ransom for his release.
Context of Persecution
The Rohingya, a mostly Muslim minority group, have faced decades of violence and were stripped of their citizenship by Myanmar in 1982. An estimated 550,000 Rohingya remain in Myanmar, while over 1 million live in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Criminal networks frequently exploit this population, promising passage to Malaysia while subjecting them to extortion and dangerous sea conditions.
Timeline
- 1982Myanmar stripped the Rohingya of their citizenship.
- 2017A military campaign expelled 700,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh.
- 2022Ullah was imprisoned by Myanmar authorities after a failed attempt to reach Malaysia.
- April250 Rohingya died when a boat capsized in the Andaman Sea.
- June 22The last time Ullah’s family spoke to him.
- Late JuneThe boats carrying the refugees departed and were subsequently feared lost.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Guardian Global Development.
