Fear on the waves: Arakan Army leaves Teknaf fishermen in terror

The calm waters of the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal have turned treacherous for Teknaf’s fishermen. 

Local crews and Rohingyas from nearby camps are living in dread, their livelihoods upended by the Arakan Army’s relentless detentions. 

In just 13 days, 29 fishermen—both locals and Rohingyas—have been snatched while casting their nets, leaving families on the shore gripped by anxiety and desperation.  

Since the Arakan Army’s fierce conflict with Myanmar’s military erupted 10 months ago, the group has seized control of the Myanmar side of the 270-kilometer Bangladesh-Myanmar border, including border posts, army camps, and key cities like Maungdaw. 

Their reach now extends into the seas, where they’ve targeted fishermen with chilling regularity. 

On November 5, 2024, they detained 20 fishermen from Shahparir Dwip, releasing them later with help from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). But the reprieve was short-lived.  

The crackdown intensified this month: six Rohingya fishermen from Teknaf’s Hnila 26 camp were arrested on February 9, followed by four from Shahparir Dwip’s Dakshin Para on February 11. 

Last Thursday, February 20, another 10 fishermen from Majher Para in Shahparir Dwip were taken. 

Eight still remain in Arakan Army custody, including Md Faruk Majhi, Md Ibrahim, Abdul Monaf, Md Raihan, Syed Ullah Majhi, Imam Hossain, Syed Alam, and Kefayet Ullah from Teknaf’s Alikhali camp—names now synonymous with a community’s anguish.  

Nur Nahar Begum, wife of detained fisherman Hasan from Majher Para, voiced the family’s plight: “The Arakan Army grabbed my husband from the Naf River 12 days ago. He hasn’t returned, and we’re struggling to survive. We’re helpless—fishing is our lifeline, but now he’s in their hands. I don’t know when I’ll see him again.”  

Tofail Ahmed, general secretary of Shahparir Dwip’s Jalia Para Jele Ghat, described the perilous routine: “Fishermen head out to sea, but the Arakan Army often snatches them on their way back. Some drift too close to Myanmar’s border in the Naf River, and that’s when they’re seized. Families are living in terror—but these men must fish to eat.”  

Abdus Salam, a Sabrang Union Parishad member, echoed the despair: “Most coastal families here depend on fishing in the Naf and the sea. With 29 fishermen detained in just over a week, their families are mourning. They want their loved ones back.”  

Ali Asgar, a fisherman from Ukhia’s Kutupalong Camp, added a grim update: “Last Thursday, eight Rohingyas from Kutupalong and Balukhali camps were caught fishing and taken to Teknaf’s Kayumkhali Ghat with two trawlers. They’re still held, and we’ve alerted the administration and camp officials.”  

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehsan Uddin urged caution: “Fishermen must be vigilant while fishing. We’ve informed senior officials, and law enforcement is working to secure their release.”  

But for now, the waters off Teknaf remain a perilous frontier, where the Arakan Army’s grip casts a long shadow over a community caught in the crossfire of a distant war. Each dawn brings hope—and fear—as families pray for their fishermen to return, nets intact and lives spared.