Arakan Army abducts 4 Bangladeshi fishermen from Naf River

The Myanmar armed rebel group Arakan Army has abducted four Bangladeshi fishermen at gunpoint along with two motorized fishing boats from Naf River in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar. The fishermen went fishing in the Naf River around 6am, armed members of the Arakan Army came in a speedboat and chased them and took them hostage on Monday.

The abducted fishermen are Monir Ahmed, 45, Yasin, 18, Abdul Malek alias Shafa, 50, and Jamal Hossain, 40, residents of South Jaliapara in Ward No. 9 of Teknaf Municipality. Local fishermen said that they were taken hostage and taken to Myanmar's Kaichang Canal while fishing in the Naf River area adjacent to Nazirpara in Teknaf Sadar Union. Locals claim that the fishermen were abducted from Bangladeshi waters.

Former Teknaf Municipality councilor Moniruzzaman said families are in extreme anxiety and panic since the incident. Locals said the recent increase in such incidents in the bordering Naf River has spread widespread panic in the coastal areas and many fishermen are afraid to go fishing in the river.