Rohingya, who are often Muslims, have long been oppressed in Myanmar and forced to flee the country. Many have fled across the border into Bangladesh and then tried to move on.
One of the ships carrying refugees, which set sail from southern Bangladesh bound for the Malaysian coast, sank in the Andaman Sea, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday.
"The ship... reportedly sank due to strong winds and rough seas, as well as too many people being on board," the UNHCR said.
There are about a million refugees from Myanmar in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar camp; many of them want to leave.
