Staff Reporter :
The safety of Bangladeshi citizens, particularly fishermen, is under increasing threat along the Teknaf-Saint Martin’s route, as incidents of abductions and firing by Arakan Army, Navy and Border Guard Police have surged in recent months.
Several Bangladeshi nationals, mostly fishermen, have been abducted, with reports indicating that some have been either killed or wounded in gunfire.
The incidents, primarily occurring in the Naf River that separates Bangladesh from Myanmar, have raised alarms about the growing instability in the region, fueled by ongoing internal conflicts between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army, a rebel group in the Rakhine State of Myanmar.
While negotiations between the Bangladeshi authorities and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have led to the safe return of many abducted individuals, the risks to civilians remain high.
The volatile situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, where the Arakan Army has been engaged in fighting with the Myanmar Army, has compounded the challenges of managing border security.
The conflicts in Myanmar are not only destabilizing their local populations but also obstructing efforts for the safe repatriation of Rohingya refugees who have fled across the border into Bangladesh. Over times, Bangladesh government has been urging the Myanmar authorities to take stronger measures to secure the border and prevent further harm to innocent civilians.
Meanwhile, six fishermen have been abducted from the Naf River in Teknaf Upazila of Cox’s Bazar by the Arakan Army, a rebel group in the Rakhine State of Myanmar.
“We have obtained the information of abduction of six individuals. Four are from St Martin’s while two others are from other areas. So far we have identified a boatman Mostaque,” Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Teknaf Adnan Chowdhury told the New Nation on Wednesday.
He, however, said that the Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB) has been working on it.
Abdur Rashid, president of the Teknaf-Saint Martin’s Trawler Owners Association, reported that the two trawlers departed Teknaf port on Monday afternoon, with six crew members aboard.
The vessels were anchored near Shah Porir Dwip due to tidal conditions and resumed their journey on Tuesday. However, by Wednesday, the trawlers had still not reached Saint Martin’s, raising concerns over their whereabouts.
“The trawlers set off from Teknaf carrying goods like bricks and cement, but they were seized before they could complete their journey,” Rashid said, adding that one of the trawlers belonged to him.