The Arakan Army, an armed insurgent group from Myanmar, has abducted four Bangladeshi fishermen along with their boat from the estuary of the Naf River in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. It has been learned from local sources that the incident occurred on Monday morning at the estuary of the Naf River near Shahporir Island in Teknaf.
The abducted fishermen are boat owner Abdur Rahman, and crew members Nur Kalam, Shafi Alam, and Abul Kalam. They are all residents of the Shahporir Island area in Teknaf upazila.
Abdul Gani, the president of the Shahporir Island Jaliyapara boat ghat, said, “Abdur Rahman had gone to fish in the Naf River with four crew members on his own boat. Suddenly, in the morning, members of the Arakan Army came and took them away. This incident, occurring just one day after a 22-day-long fishing ban was lifted, has caused panic among local fishermen.”
Abdus Salam, a member of the Shahporir Island Union Parishad, said, “I have learned that a boat and four crew members from my area have been taken away by Myanmar’s Arakan Army. The local administration and law enforcement agencies have been informed about the matter.”
Meanwhile, the Myanmar-based news media Global Arakan Network has reported that the Arakan Army has detained four Bangladeshi fishermen on allegations of “illegal entry” into Arakan’s waters. Their report stated that from January this year until 18 July, approximately 188 Bangladeshi fishermen and 30 boats were detained and later released.
Sheikh Ehsan Uddin, the Teknaf Upazila Executive Officer, said, “We have received news about four fishermen and one boat being taken away. The matter is being investigated. Law enforcement agencies have already started working.”
Sources from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have indicated that in the last eight months, the Arakan Army has abducted at least 300 fishermen from the Naf River and adjacent border areas. Among them, approximately 200 fishermen were repatriated with the assistance of BGB between March and August. Around 100 fishermen are still missing.
Local fishermen report that due to the lack of regular patrols in the Naf River, they are forced to go fishing at the risk of their lives.
