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The “Arakan Army”, Myanmar’s armed rebel group, has abducted 33 Bangladeshi fishermen in three consecutive days.
The latest incident occurred on Monday afternoon, when seven fishermen and their trawler were seized as they were returning to Teknaf after fishing in the Bay of Bengal, reports bdnews24.com.
On Sunday, 14 fishermen were captured in a similar manner, while another 12 were abducted on Saturday.
“For several days, Arakan Army members have been holding Bangladeshi trawlers and fishermen hostage at gunpoint on their way back from the Bay of Bengal,” said Sheikh Ehsan Uddin, the Teknaf Upazila administrator (UNO).
“We seek the intervention of the relevant authorities to increase surveillance of our law-enforcing agencies in that area. The matter has been reported to higher authorities.”
Abul Kalam, general secretary of the Kayukkhalia Ghat Trawler Owners Association of Teknaf Municipality, said that Monday’s abduction took place in Naikhangdia, near Shah Pori Island, around 11:30am.
He said the trawler belonged to Umar Siddique, son of Abdul Monaf of Chowdhury Para area in Teknaf Municipality.
There were seven fishermen aboard, but their names could not be confirmed.
Quoting a fisherman who was on the trawler, Kalam said members of the Arakan Army pursued them in a speedboat and took them hostage at gunpoint.
The fisherman managed to report the chase on his mobile phone before the abductors seized the vessel and took it to the Phatongja Canal in Myanmar.
From December of last year to Monday, the Arakan Army has abducted 244 Bangladeshi fishermen from the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal, according to officials.
Of those, 189 fishermen and 27 trawlers have been rescued in several phases through the efforts of the Bangladesh Coast Guard.