A Bangladeshi trawler with over a hundred people on board sank in the Bay of Bengal Thursday and police claimed that it was heading to Malaysia with illegal immigrants. The vessel sank near the Bangladeshi island of Kutubdia.

So far, 36 people have been rescued by the island's residents with the help of the coast guard and police, bdnews24.com reported citing Kutubdia police officer-in-charge Aungsa Thoyai.

The trawler sank at Khudiyar Tek Point in the Kutubdia channel. "The rescued passengers said they had boarded the trawler for Malaysia Wednesday night from Chittagong's Majher Ghat," Thoyai said.

Coast Guard Sub-Lieutenant M.A. Hashem said the rescued passengers told them there were over 100 people on the trawler.

Coast Guard rescue vessel 'Tanvir' has left for the mishap site from Chittagong, he added.