Dhaka, Nov. 11 -- More than 5,300 Rohingya refugees, so far this year, have embarked on dangerous maritime journeys from Bangladesh and Myanmar, with over 600 reported to be missing or have lost their lives, said UN agencies on Tuesday.

Limited assistance and opportunities in refugee camps in Bangladesh, along with escalating conflict and a worsening humanitarian situation in Myanmar, exacerbated by funding cuts, contribute to more and more people attempting perilous sea journeys in search of safety and protection.

In recent years, over two thirds of Rohingya embarking on dangerous sea journeys are women and children.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and IOM, the International Organization for Migration, are deeply saddened over the recen...