Google Alert – BD Army
The capture occurred early Tuesday morning and has been confirmed by Sajeed Ahmed, Director of Kayukkhali Boat Owners Association in Teknaf.
Sajeed Ahmed stated that several middlemen and boat crews had departed from local ghats with trawlers for deep sea fishing. Among them, two boats and 14 men were forcibly taken.
“Such incidents repeatedly sow fear among fishermen and traders alike. Strong governmental support is urgently needed,” he said.
Local fisherman Nur Kalam added that the two trawlers, owned by Abul Kalam and Syed Alam, left from Kayukkhali Ghat.
He claimed that Arakan Army gave chase and seized those vessels along with 14 crew members, leaving others terrified.
In a related incident on September 12, Arakan Army abducted 40 fishermen aboard five trawlers. Among them, 17 managed to escape stealthily into Bangladesh; however, the rebel group still holds approximately 114 fishermen and has detained 19 trawlers over time.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehsan Uddin admitted the new abductions and said authorities are investigating.
“We have received reports that two more trawlers and 14 fishermen have been taken. Law enforcement is working to recover them,” he told reporters.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) reports that in the past eight months, Arakan Army has kidnapped at least 314 fishermen from areas along the Bangladesh–Myanmar border, including the Naf River region.
Between March and August this year, 200 were abducted; nearly the same number have since been returned in phases with BGB assistance.
Yet 114 remain in captivity, leaving many others fearful of venturing out to sea.
SH