Arakan Army abducts 13 more Bangladeshi fishermen from Naf River

Arakan Army, armed rebel group of Myanmar, has abducted 13 more Bangladeshi fishermen along with two fishing trawlers returning from the Bay of Bengal from the Naf River estuary in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar.

The latest incident brings the total number of abducted fishermen to 46 in the last four days, involving five trawlers, with no rescues yet confirmed.

The abduction took place around 11.00am on Tuesday (August 26) near Naiksyangdia, southeast of Shahparir Island.

Two of the abductees have been identified as Abdul Hafez and Md. Amin, while the identities of the others remain unknown.

According to Abul Kalam, general secretary of the Kayukkhalia Ghat Trawler Owners' Association, Abdul Hafez managed to briefly communicate via mobile phone before contact was lost. He reported that the Arakan Army intercepted the trawlers using a speedboat and forcibly took the fishermen toward Myanmar territory.

The terrain along the Naf River forces trawlers to briefly pass near Myanmar’s waters during low tide due to shoals on the Bangladesh side—a vulnerability that the Arakan Army is exploiting, Kalam said.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehsan Uddin confirmed the incident and said security along the river is being bolstered. “BGB and other law enforcement agencies are being mobilized to prevent further abductions,” he said.