Arakan Army detained seven Bangladeshi fishermen on Tuesday evening for entering Myanmar’s territorial waters.
Sajed Ahmed, president of the Kayukkhali Boat Owners Association in Teknaf municipality, confirmed the incident on Wednesday morning.
He said that the Arakan Army also seized a trawler which was carrying the fishermen. It was intercepted while returning from a fishing trip.
According to Myanmar-based outlet Global Arakan Network, the Arakan Army’s Coastal Security Unit intensified sea patrols on Tuesday and identified Bangladeshi trawlers operating within Arakan State’s waters. Around 7:30pm, a wooden trawler and its crew were detained about 2.14 kilometers west of Ekraza village in Maungdaw Township. Authorities seized three nets and roughly 260 kg of fish, the network reported.
It reported that between January and July, the Arakan Army returned 188 Bangladeshi fishermen and 30 boats through bilateral arrangements.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sheikh Ehsan Uddin confirmed the latest detentions and said the matter is under investigation. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and other agencies have been notified.
BGB sources revealed that the Arakan Army has abducted at least 311 fishermen from the Naf River and nearby border areas over the past eight months. Around 200 were rescued between March and August, but 111 remain missing.
Just a day earlier, on October 27, the Arakan Army detained four more fishermen and a trawler from the Naf River. Local fishermen say they are forced to risk their lives due to the absence of regular patrols in the area.
