The Arakan Army, an insurgent group in Myanmar, has allegedly abducted 12 Bangladeshi fishermen from the Naf River estuary near Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar as they were returning from fishing in the Bay of Bengal. They are all from the villages of Shah Porir Dwip. Trawler owner Sultan Ahmed said the 12 fishermen were returning to the shore due to adverse weather in the morning. On the morning of Aug 12, the Arakan Army abducted five other fishermen from Jaliapara in Shah Porir Dwip in a similar incident in the same area of the river. Since December last year, the group has reportedly abducted 211 Bangladeshi fishermen from different points along the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal.
