The family of one of the migrants who died in a tragic incident in the Mediterranean Sea has filed a case against alleged human traffickers in Sunamganj.

The case was filed shortly after midnight on Tuesday by Sadikur Rahman, father of victim Sohanur Rahman from Jagdal village in Derai upazila.

It named four suspected traffickers and several unidentified individuals.

Derai police station officer-in-charge Enamul Haque Chowdhury confirmed the matter, stating that the case was filed under the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act, 2012.

‘Efforts are underway to arrest the accused,’ he said.

According to international agencies, at least 22 migrants died and 26 others were rescued during the perilous journey in the Mediterranean Sea off the Greek coast.

Among those rescued were 21 Bangladeshis, along with four South Sudanese nationals and one from Chad.

Authorities fear that all 22 deceased migrants may be Bangladeshi nationals. Local administration sources said that at least 12 of the victims hailed from Derai, Jagannathpur, and Dowarabazar upazilas in Sunamganj district.

The deceased from Derai include Nuruzzaman Sardar alias Moyna, Sajidur Rahman, Shahan Miah, Mujibur Rahman, Mehedi Hasan Tayef, and Sohan Ahmed. From Jagannathpur, the victims were Sohanur Rahman, Shayekh Ahmed, Md Nayeem, Aminur Rahman, and Mohammad Ali. Abu Fahim from Dowarabazar was also among the dead.

Relatives of the victims alleged that they had paid local brokers around Tk 12 lakh each for safe passage to Greece via Libya.

However, instead of a large vessel as promised, the migrants were reportedly forced onto a small and unsafe rubber boat.

Survivors said that many passengers fell ill due to severe shortages of food and water during the six-day journey.

Several died during the ordeal, and their bodies were allegedly thrown into the sea on the instructions of the traffickers who accompanied them.