For 17 days, Mahmudul Hasan, a 35-year-old Bangladeshi fisherman, was held captive in a remote camp controlled by the Arakan Army in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
He had spent two decades fishing, navigating the delicate maritime boundaries between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star’s Google News channel. On February 11, Mahmudul and his three-member crew unknowingly drifted past the maritime border into Myanmar waters, as the rising tide had pushed their nets farther than expected.
As the fishermen attempted to reel in their nets, a boat carrying seven men, two of whom were armed, approached them. Before they could react, the armed group surrounded them, leaving them no chance to escape.
“We tried to explain that our nets had drifted due to the tide, but they wouldn’t listen,” Mahmudul said.
He was among the 29 fishermen released by the AA on February 27.
Over the past few months, there has been a noticeable increase in fishermen being abducted by AA. The situation worsened after the fishing ban in the Naf was lifted. The abductions are primarily occurring in three areas of Cox’s Bazar: Ukhiya, Naikhongdia Pook Khali, and Whykong.
Sharing his ordeal with this correspondent, Mahmudul said he and his crew were taken to a rebel-controlled camp on the Myanmar border and placed under strict surveillance. For the next 48 hours, they were confined to a cramped room with no basic amenities.
“We were only given a bucket to urinate in, with no other facilities. They only took us to the washroom upon request and then locked us back in the small room.
“Hours after we were taken, a high-ranking Arakan Army officer interrogated us in fluent Bangla about the deployment of our security forces at the border. They asked about the number of personnel stationed there.”
He added, “They hit me when I refused to answer. But we remained silent and did not disclose much information.”
Two days later, Mahmudul and his fellow captives were transferred to a prison camp in the hilly areas, where they were held for the next 15 days. “We were only given a handful of rice and boiled banana stalks. Sometimes, they gave us lentils, which were rotten or infested with insects. Even the water was contaminated with insects or floating cigarette ends.”
According to Mahmudul, at least six other Bangladeshi fishermen were detained in the same camp.
“We begged them to let us contact our families just once so they wouldn’t think we were dead. But they refused.”
Though he was eventually released, his boat remained in the AA’s custody. “I invested Tk 2 lakh in this new fishing boat, with a loan of Tk 1.65 lakh. We already struggle to repay our debts, and then we have to face such dangers at sea.”
According to intelligence sources, at least 23 fishermen with their boats were taken by the AA in the last month from the Naikongdia Pook Khali point, which is just three kilometers away from Shah Porir Dwip.
RANSOM THROUGH MFS
Md Shofiullah, another fisherman with two decades of experience, told this newspaper, “We’re hearing that two or three fishermen are taken by the AA almost every other day. They wait for the slightest mistake — if our boat enters their territory even by an inch, they detain us.”
He claimed that in most cases, the AA collects a ransom of Tk 1-1.5 lakh for each fisherman’s release. “They [AA] had Bangladeshi SIM cards and used them to send videos and pictures of torture to family members, demanding ransom. The money was collected through various Mobile Financial Services, which we believe are operated by a group of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas on this side of the border.”
He alleged that this group maintains contact with members of the AA and their families.
According to Abdur Rahim, a 21-year-old fisherman who was also held captive for 17 days, some Bangla-speaking AA members mentioned that their families live in Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf.
“We also heard that Tk 35 lakh was taken from some fishermen’s families via mobile banking, with the transactions carried out secretly.”
Many fishermen believe the ransom money goes to the AA members’ families.
HOW THEY WERE RESCUED
Once the families of abducted fishermen provided relevant information to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the border force communicated with the AA and secured their release. BGB Teknaf Battalion (BGB-2) played a key role in these efforts.
Lt Col Ashiqur Rahman, commanding officer of the battalion, told The Daily Star, “The AA takes our fishermen whenever they find a boat entering their territory… I believe the AA members on border duty want to prove they are active and seek recognition. The good news is that the AA responds whenever we reach out to them. It may have taken some time, but we managed to bring back the captive fishermen.”
Regarding ransom payments through MFS, he said no such information had been confirmed yet. “We have learned that they [AA] demand a sum from the fishermen, which they call a ‘penalty’ for entering their territory.”
Asked about the fishermen being interrogated regarding BGB positions, Lt Col Ashiqur acknowledged “some challenges” at the border. “We are working to overcome these by using different strategies. Our personnel remain vigilant and maintain round-the-clock surveillance to secure the border in coordination with other relevant stakeholders.”
He further noted that the incidents began after the Naf River was reopened for fishing. “We need to develop new strategies, including educating fishermen to prevent further occurrences.”
On February 13, the government lifted the longstanding ban on fishing in the Naf after seven years and nine months.
Permission to fish in the Naf is subject to several conditions, including a restriction on fishing hours from 8:00am to 4:00pm, the requirement for fishermen to show their identity cards at five designated BGB posts before departure, and compliance with BGB checks upon return.
Only registered fishermen, as per a list provided by the fisheries department, are allowed to fish in the Naf.
The permission is temporary and will be reviewed after three months based on the border situation.
