Five Bangladeshi fishermen were abducted along with their trawler by the Arakan Army in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf upazila.
The incident occurred late Tuesday night near Shah Porir Island, along the Naf River, at the Naf estuary in the Naikhongchhari area of the Bay of Bengal.
The abducted fishermen have been identified as Shah Alam, 20, son of the late Syed Alam; Abul Hosen, son of the late Nazu Mia; Md Abbas, 40, son of the late Mokbul Ahmed; Abdul Sahed, 18, son of Abdul Majid; and Md Yunus, 40, son of the late Md Hosen. All are residents of Shahpori Island.
The trawler’s owner, Mohammad Ullah, a local of Shah Porir Island, said his vessel had returned from fishing near Saint Martin’s Island. As they anchored for the night near Naikhongchari, Arakan Army members arrived in a speedboat and seized the trawler along with the five fishermen.
The incident has sparked fear and anxiety among the families.
Lieutenant Commander Akib of Chattogram Coast Guard confirmed hearing about the abduction. He said higher authorities have been informed and communication established with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). Efforts to secure the safe return of the fishermen are ongoing.
Earlier, on Monday, 73 fishermen, including 66 Bangladeshis and seven Rohingya fishermen, were released and returned to Bangladesh after being held by the Arakan Army.
According to BGB records, Arakan Army detained a total of 124 fishermen between January and July 2025. Teknaf 2 Battalion has facilitated the safe return of many, with efforts continuing for the remaining abductees.
While clashes between Myanmar’s military junta and the Arakan Army had subsided by late 2022 and early 2023, hostilities resumed in November 2023.
On 8 December 2024, the rebel group claimed control over approximately 271 kilometres of territory along the Bangladesh–Myanmar border in Rakhine State.
