Arakan Army disrupts Bangladesh maritime trade

Al Mamun Harun Ur Rashid  :

The recent abduction of Bangladeshi fishermen and cargo vessels by the Arakan Army (AA), an armed rebel group from Myanmar, has raised serious concerns about security along the Bangladesh-Myanmar maritime boundary.

The AA, which has gained control over most of Myanmar’s Rakhine state after prolonged battles with the Myanmar Army, has frequently targeted Bangladeshi fishing trawlers and trading vessels, threatening both trade and the fishing industry.

Bangladesh has been hosting over 1.3 million Rohingya refugees from Rakhine for the past seven years as part of a humanitarian effort.

However, the rise in attacks and abductions by the AA has added a new dimension of concern for Bangladeshi traders and fishermen operating along the Naf River and surrounding waters.

On Thursday, the AA abducted 19 Bangladeshi fishermen along with four fishing boats near Gholarchar and Naikkhongdia areas of Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf Upazila, Cox’s Bazar.

Local
authorities are actively working to rescue them, though no breakthroughs have been reported yet.

“We still don’t have any good news regarding their rescue. However, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is actively working on it,” said Sheikh Ahsan Uddin, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Teknaf, speaking to The New Nation on Friday.

Sources indicated that the seizure of Maungdaw town by the Arakan Army has paralysed trading activities at Teknaf Land Port.

The fierce conflicts between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar Army disrupted import-export operations at the Teknaf Land Port for ten months in 2024.

Since then, the situation has not improved, and trading at the port has declined drastically, according to sources.

Following the conflict, the growing threat posed by the Arakan Army has severely impacted businesses, with many traders expressing deep concerns.

“Trade has drastically decreased due to conflicts and these seizure incidents,” Ahsan Uddin added.

Jasim Uddin, General Manager of United Land Port Limited, which operates the Teknaf Land Port, warned that traders might abandon the port altogether if the situation does not improve.

“These incidents of vessel seizures have left traders in a state of fear. Trade has already been disrupted due to the conflict in Myanmar. Government intervention is essential to resolve this crisis,” he stated.

Similar abductions have taken place in recent months. On 10 February, six Bangladeshi fishermen were abducted from the Naf River estuary but were later released.

Earlier, on 19 January, the AA detained three cargo vessels carrying 50,000 sacks of goods en route to Teknaf Port from Yangon, Myanmar.

In a particularly violent incident on 9 October last year, Myanmar’s navy fired on a Bangladeshi trawler, killing one fisherman and injuring three others. Fifty-eight fishermen were taken into custody but were later returned following diplomatic protests from Bangladesh.

More recently, on 15 October, the BGB secured the return of 16 Bangladeshi fishermen who had been held by the Arakan Army in Rakhine.

Local fish trader Abdul Karim voiced his concerns over the ongoing crisis, stating, “This keeps happening, and we are extremely worried. If the issue is not resolved, fishermen will stop going to sea, leading to further distress.”

With the situation deteriorating, there is a growing demand for immediate government intervention to ensure the safety of Bangladeshi fishermen and traders.

Stakeholders suggest that diplomatic negotiations with Myanmar and enhanced security measures along the border are necessary to prevent further abductions and safeguard maritime trade activities.