Teknaf, August 13 (V7N) — Five Bangladeshi fishermen were reportedly abducted by members of the Arakan Army, an armed insurgent group based in Myanmar, from the estuary of the Naf River near Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar.

The incident occurred around 8:30 AM on Tuesday, August 12, in the Noyapara area of Nayapara, Teknaf, near the Myanmar border. According to local sources, the fishermen were fishing in the Naf River aboard a trawler when members of the Arakan Army approached in a speedboat, held them at gunpoint, and forcibly took them away.

The abducted individuals have been identified as Md. Ilyas (41), his son Akkal Ali (20), and Md. Nur Hossain (18), all residents of Jaliya Para on Shah Porir Dwip under Teknaf's Sabrang Union. The other two are Saber Hossain (22), son of Kalu Mia, and Md. Saiful Islam (25), son of Nur Hossain.

Abdus Salam, a member of the Sabrang Union Parishad, confirmed the incident, stating that other fishermen in the area witnessed the abduction and later informed the victims’ families. They said the Arakan Army members came suddenly and seized the five men before disappearing into Myanmar territory.

Abdul Gani, president of the Shah Porir Dwip Jaliya Para Fishermen’s Association, added that three members of boat owner Md. Ilyas’s family were among those abducted. The fishermen were returning after a fishing trip in the Bay of Bengal when they were intercepted.

The families of the victims have since notified the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) about the incident. Authorities are currently coordinating efforts to gather more information.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehssan Uddin said, "We have received reports of the abduction from locals. Relevant agencies have been informed, and further investigation is underway."

The Naf River, which marks the border between southeastern Bangladesh and Myanmar’s Rakhine State, has long been a sensitive zone, occasionally witnessing border tensions and security incidents. The latest abduction raises fresh concerns over the security of Bangladeshi fishermen operating near the border area.

No official statement has yet been issued by Myanmar authorities or the Arakan Army regarding the incident.

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