Staff Correspondent
In just three days, Myanmar’s armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, has abducted 33 Bangladeshi fishermen from the Bay of Bengal. On Monday (August 25), seven more fishermen along with their fishing trawler were captured off the Teknaf coast.
Earlier, on Sunday, 14 fishermen were abducted in the same manner, while 12 more were taken on Saturday.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehsan Uddin said that for the past few days, Arakan Army members have been abducting Bangladeshi fishermen at gunpoint after they return from fishing in the Bay of Bengal. He urged the concerned authorities to increase surveillance in the area and confirmed that the matter has been reported to higher authorities.
Abul Kalam, General Secretary of the Kayukkhalia Ghat Trawler Owners Association, said that on Monday morning, seven fishermen were abducted from the Naikhyangdia area of Shahpari Island. The trawler belonged to Umar Siddique, a resident of Teknaf municipality, and had seven crew members onboard. According to one of the crew, the Arakan Army chased them in speedboats, held them at gunpoint, and then took them towards Myanmar’s Fatongja canal.
Since December last year up to this August, the Arakan Army has abducted a total of 244 Bangladeshi fishermen from various points of the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal. Of them, 189 fishermen and 27 trawlers have been returned through efforts by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).