6 Bangladeshi fishermen kidnapped by Arakan Army

Members of Myanmar’s armed rebel group Arakan Army kidnapped 6 Bangladeshi fishermen along with a trawler from the estuary of the Naf River while they were returning from fishing in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. The incident took place on Wednesday (November 5) afternoon in the Naikshangdia area of ​​the Bay of Bengal adjacent to Golar Char on Shahparir Island in Teknaf. The kidnapped fishermen are Md. Ayash, Md. Yasin, Ziaur Rahman, Ataur Hossain, Kefayet Ullah and Rashid Ullah. They are all residents of different camps in Cox’s Bazar.
Confirming this information, a trawler owned by Abdul Matlab, a resident of Teknaf Municipality, reached an area called Naikshangdia near Shahparir Island after fishing in the sea and on its way back to Teknaf. The Arakan Army members detained six fishermen in a trawler, causing the trawler’s engine to break down. The incident has left the owners of the fishing trawlers and fishermen in panic.
Meanwhile, Myanmar-based media outlet Global Arakan Network reported that the Arakan Army’s coastal security unit intensified patrols at sea on October 28. During the patrol, several Bangladeshi trawlers were identified fishing in the waters of Arakan State. There, they detained about 188 Bangladeshi fishermen and 30 boats from January to July 18 this year and later released them.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehsan Uddin said, “We are receiving information that six fishermen along with a trawler have been kidnapped. The matter is being investigated.” The BGB further said, “Earlier, in the last eight months, the Arakan Army has abducted at least 300 fishermen from the Naf River and adjacent areas on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. Of these, 200 were abducted from March to August 23 this year. With the help of the BGB, about 200 of them have been brought back in several stages. 100 fishermen are still being held captive by the Arakan Army. As a result, many fishermen are afraid to go fishing in the sea.”