Myanmar-based armed rebel group Arakan Army allegedly abducted four Bangladeshi people at gunpoint while they were fishing at the estuary of the River Naf at Teknaf in Cox鈥檚 Bazar on Tuesday.
The incident took place at about 11:30am near Shapuree Island at Sabrang union at Teknaf upazila, said Lieutenant HM Sartaj Bin Sohorab, commander of the Bangladesh Coast Guard鈥檚 Shapuree Island station.
The abducted fishermen have been identified as Md Hasan, 30, Abdur Rokim, 20, Md Jaber, 26, and Md Hasan, 16, all residents of Dakshin Para at Sabrang union at Teknaf.
Lieutenant Sartaj said that Md Hasan, the owner of the fishing trawler, along with three others, went fishing in the River Naf Tuesday morning.
At one point, a speedboat carrying Arakan Army members approached from the Myanmar side, surrounded their trawler, and took them hostage at gunpoint.
The armed men then forced them into Myanmar鈥檚 territory. Locals later reported the incident to the law enforcers.
鈥極ur efforts to rescue the abducted fishermen are ongoing. Additionally, surveillance has been intensified in the River Naf,鈥� Lieutenant Sartaj added.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sheikh Ehsan Uddin said, 鈥榃e have been informed by local representatives and residents that four Bangladeshi fishermen were abducted while fishing in the River Naf. The Border Guard Bangladesh and relevant authorities are working to rescue them.鈥�
He said that it was suspected that the Arakan Army was responsible for the abduction.
However, the BGB and the Coast Guard have increased security and surveillance along the River Naf border.
Following nearly 11 months of clashes with Myanmar鈥檚 ruling junta, the Arakan Army captured Maungdaw township in Rakhine State on December 8, 2024. Since then, they have imposed restrictions on navigation within their controlled waters in the River Naf.