Arakan Army ‘abducts’ 12 Bangladeshi fishermen near St Martin’s

NEWS DESK

Twelve Bangladeshi fishermen were allegedly abducted and two fishing trawlers seized by Myanmar’s Arakan Army in waters near St Martin’s Island early Thursday, according to local fishing leaders and government officials.

The incident took place around dawn on Thursday near Cheradia, a small islet east of St Martin’s, after the men had gone out to sea to fish. The two trawlers are owned by St Martin’s residents Mohammad Elias and Nur Mohammad.

Nur Mohammad said his vessel, carrying six fishermen under the command of kabir majhi Kabir, developed engine trouble on Wednesday and drifted through the night near Cheradia.

“At dawn, Arakan Army fighters took them from the area,” he said.

Azim Uddin, president of the St Martin Fishing Trawler Cooperative, said both trawlers and all 12 crew members were taken away.

“People here are terrified,” he said. “The Arakan Army has taken more than 150 fishermen from these waters over the years. Many are still being held, and their return is uncertain.”

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sk Ahsan Uddin said the administration had received reports of the latest abductions and informed the relevant law enforcement and security agencies.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials said Arakan Army units have abducted at least 350 Bangladeshi fishermen from the Naf River and adjacent coastal waters over the past 10 months. Around 200 of them have so far been released in several batches, but some 150 remain in captivity.

The repeated abductions have left many coastal fishermen reluctant to venture into open waters, local fishermen said.