Arakan Army Abducts 9 Bangladeshi Fishermen, Seizes Two Trawlers off Teknaf Coast

Naringara

Arakan Now | 19 December 2025

Myanmar’s armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, has abducted nine Bangladeshi fishermen along with two fishing trawlers from the Shahparir Island area of Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar.

The fishermen were abducted from the estuary of the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal at around 8:00 am on Thursday, December 18. The two hijacked trawlers are reportedly owned by Rashed and Md Faruk of the Dangarpara area of Shahparir Island.

Abdul Gafur, president of Shahparir Dwip Paschimpara Naughat, said that four trawlers were returning to the ghat from the Bay of Bengal on Thursday morning after fishing. At that time, members of the Arakan Army chased the trawlers. Two of them managed to escape, while the remaining two trawlers, along with nine fishermen, were captured.

He added that the incident has created extreme panic among fishermen and trawler owners, with many now afraid to go out to sea.

Teknaf Upazila Executive Officer Md Imamul Hafiz Nadim said reports had been received regarding the capture of nine fishermen along with two trawlers. He added that necessary measures were being taken after verifying the information.

Meanwhile, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) said that over the past 10 months, the Arakan Army has abducted at least 350 Bangladeshi fishermen from the Bangladesh–Myanmar border area, including the Naf River. Although around 200 fishermen were rescued with the help of the BGB, about 150 remain in the group’s custody.

The ongoing abductions have significantly reduced fishing activities in coastal areas, as fear continues to spread among local fishing communities.