12 BD fishermen kidnapped by Arakan Army

Staff Reporter :

At least 12 Bangladeshi fishermen and their boat were kidnapped from the Naf River in Teknaf’s Naikhyangdia area on Saturday afternoon while returning from the Bay of Bengal.

According to local residents and trawler owners, members of Myanmar’s armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, carried out the abduction.

“I have heard about the detention of 12 fishermen, including their boat. I am doing everything to bring them back quickly.” said Sheikh Ahsan Uddin,UpazilaNirbahiOfficer of Teknaf district.
The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) state that over the past eight months, the Arakan Army kidnapped at least 230 fishermen from the Naf River and adjacent areas along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. Of these, 151 were taken between January and May 2025. With BGB’s assistance, around 200 fishermen have been rescued in phases.

The kidnapped fishermen are Ali Ahmed, 39; Mohammad Amin, 34; Fazal Karim, 52; KefayetUllah, 40; Saiful Islam, 23; Saddam Hossain, 40; Russel, 23; Soyaib, 22; ArifUllah, 35; Mohammad Mostak, 35; and Nurul Amin, 45. All are residents of different villages on Shah PorirDwip in Teknaf.

Boat owner Sultan Ahmed confirmed his vessel had gone out for fishing, but due to rough weather, they were returning to shore when Arakan Army members kidnapped them. He stated further “The fishermen are not safe. Such incidents are happening repeatedly. A permanent solution is needed,”