The Arakan Army has seized two fishing boats along with 13 Bangladeshi fishermen from the Bay of Bengal near Maungdaw Township in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
The matter was confirmed by Shahpari Island Boat Owners Association President Abdul Gani of Teknaf. He informed that two Bangladeshi fishing boats were returning to shore at separate times on Tuesday after fishing in the sea. The Arakan Coastal Security Patrol, affiliated with the Arakan Army, seized the two boats along with 13 fishermen.
The identities of six out of the 13 fishermen detained by the Arakan Army could be known. They are Nur Mohammad (60), Hamid Hossain (45), Md. Hampuro (15), Jasim Uddin (18), Harun Mia (40) residents of St Martin, and Md Habibullah (60) from Shamlapur.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Imamul Hafiz Nadim informed that the matter has been reported to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Coast Guard. BGB and Coast Guard are looking into the matter. Discussions are ongoing with the concerned authorities to bring back the detained fishermen quickly.
However, BGB Teknaf Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Ashikur Rahman told TIMES of Bangladesh that specific information regarding the detention of the two boats with 13 fishermen has not reached BGB.
Myanmar-based media outlet Global Arakan Network News reports that the Arakan Coastal Security Patrol went out on sea patrol early Tuesday morning to prevent the intrusion of illegal fishing boats from Bangladesh. At 9am, they detained a Bangladeshi fishing boat with six fishermen about 3 kilometres away from the Mian Hlut canal in Maungdaw Township. Additionally, around 11:45am, they detained another boat with seven fishermen from the Kyauk Pandu area.
The Arakan Army claims that the detained fishermen were illegally fishing within their territorial waters.
It is noted that earlier, on 18 December, the Arakan Army detained and took away nine Bangladeshi fishermen while they were fishing in the Naf River and adjacent sea estuary of Teknaf.
