March 17, 2022
DHAKA – 18 Bangladeshi fishermen with four fishing boats were taken away by Border Guard Police (BGP) of Myanmar from the Naf River in Teknaf’s Shahparir Dwip of Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday (March 15, 2022).
Abdus Salam, member of Ward-9 of Teknaf’s Sabrang Union confirmed the matter to our Cox’s Bazar correspondent last night.
They did not return the fishermen till filing of this report.
The fishermen — Md Jasim (25) Saiful Islam (23), Md Faisal (23), Abu Taher (22), Md Ismail (20), Md Ishaq (24), Abdur Rahman (24), Noor Kalam (26), Md Hossain (22), Hasmat (25), Md Akbar (23), Nazim Ullah (19), Rafiq (20), Sabbir (25), Md Helal (25), Rezaul Karim (18), Ramzan (16), Jamal (21) — are residents of Shahparir Dwip in Teknaf upazila.
Local administration and Border Guard Bangladesh were informed about the matter, said the member.
A speedboat of Myanmar BGP chased the Bangladeshi fishermen at Naikyangdia area, adjacent to Shahparir Dwip when they were returning Shahparir Dwip after catching fish, said a local fisherman.
Later, they were taken away at gunpoint, he added.
Parvez Chowdhury, upazila nirbahi officer of Teknaf, said they came to know that some 18 Bangladeshis fishermen were taken away by Myanmar BGP.
The matter has been reported to the BGB and they are working on it, he added.
Lt Col Sheikh Khalid Mohammad Iftekhar, commander of BGB-2, said they have sent a letter to Myanmar BGP but there has been no response from them yet.