Myanmar’s armed insurgent group, the Arakan Army (AA), has kidnapped four Bangladeshi fishermen at gunpoint along with their boat from the mouth of the Naf River. The incident occurred around 11:00 AM on Tuesday near the Golarchor mouth of Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf’s Subrang union, close to the Naikhyongdia area.

The abducted fishermen have been identified as Mohammad Hasan (30), Abdu Rokim (20), Mohammad Jaber (26), and Mohammad Hasan (16), all residents of Shah Porir Dwip’s South Ward in Subrang union.

Lieutenant HM Sartaj Bin Sohrab, station commander of the Shah Porir Dwip Coast Guard, and Bashir Ahmed, president of the boat owners’ association at the South Marine Dock of Shah Porir Dwip, confirmed the incident to Prothom Alo.

Tensions Along the Naf River

The abduction comes after the Arakan Army seized control of Myanmar’s Mongdu Township in Rakhine State on December 8, following 11 months of conflict with the country’s military junta. Since then, the group has imposed a ban on all boat traffic in the waters of the Naf River under its control.

Citing locals, Lieutenant Sartaj Bin Sohrab stated that Mohammad Hasan and the four fishermen had taken their boat out for fishing in the Naf River mouth as usual when a group from Myanmar, traveling in a speedboat, surrounded them at gunpoint. The armed group then forcibly took the fishermen and their boat back toward Myanmar. Locals reported the incident to the Coast Guard, which then informed senior officials, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and the local administration.

Bashir Ahmed expressed deep concern over the abduction, saying it has triggered panic within the fishing community. Local authorities, including the BGB, have been alerted about the situation.

Concerns Over Drug Smuggling

Meanwhile, some local elected representatives, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that certain drug traffickers have been using fishing boats to smuggle large shipments of narcotics from Myanmar. On February 1, authorities seized 160,000 yaba pills from a boat owned by a Jubo Dal leader, which was allegedly being used for drug trafficking. During a Coast Guard chase, a fisherman named Abdus Shafi (45) drowned.

Government Response

When contacted, Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehsan Uddin confirmed the abduction, stating, “I have heard about the fishermen being taken. Our law enforcement agencies are working to bring them back.”

He added that due to the ongoing conflict inside Myanmar, most areas on the other side of the border are now controlled by the Arakan Army. It is suspected that the group may be responsible for the abduction. In response, the BGB and Coast Guard have increased surveillance and security along the Naf River border.

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