The Naf River along the Bangladesh–Myanmar border has become a symbol of fear and anxiety for local fishing communities. Every day, fishermen risk their lives on the river to earn a living — but increasingly many do not return home. Armed Arakan Army units in Myanmar have been detaining people on the pretext of border violations, local sources say.
According to compiled reports, between 5 and 28 August — a span of 23 days — the Arakan Army seized at least 69 fishermen. Specific incidents include nine abducted on 17 August, 12 on 23 August, 14 on 24 August, seven on 25 August, 13 on 26 August and a further 14, including two trawlers, on 30 September. On 12 September the group reportedly captured 40 crew members from five trawlers; 17 of the fishermen from one vessel later escaped. In addition to these recent cases, some 114 fishermen remain detained by the Arakan Army from earlier incidents. The group also confiscated 19 trawlers during the period.
Families of the missing now live in fear and uncertainty. Earlier this year, up to June, the Arakan Army had already seized roughly 165 fishermen. Although diplomatic efforts have led to the release of some captives, riverbank communities remain deeply unsettled.
Many are now asking: how can the safety of border communities — and especially fishermen who work the Naf — be guaranteed? Once famed for shaping Bangladesh’s proud coastal history, the Naf River now writes a story of dread and insecurity.
Could the situation again escalate into open conflict around the Naf? History recalls that in 2000, when Myanmar forces threatened the riverbank, the Bangladesh military directly resisted and forced a retreat — an episode remembered as the “Naf conflict,” which was resolved through military pressure rather than diplomacy. With the Arakan Army now spreading terror along the river, public debate has reignited over whether diplomatic protests alone will suffice or whether Bangladesh must take firmer action.
Security analysts warn that the Arakan Army’s actions around the Naf are not merely a bilateral border problem but a regional security threat. Under international law, peaceful navigation of border rivers is a recognized right; nonetheless, the Arakan Army has effectively imposed a clandestine “ban” on movement. Since seizing control in parts of Rakhine State and displacing government forces, the group has sought to consolidate its authority.
Coast Guard Station Commander Salauddin Rashid Tanvir said most fishermen inadvertently cross into Myanmar waters while fishing, adding, “They are often detained for entering Myanmar territory; we will investigate whether those taken are Bangladeshi nationals.” He stressed that Bangladesh will not allow Arakan Army units to seize fishermen inside Bangladeshi waters, saying, “They come to our waters and take fishermen — we will not allow that.”
Meanwhile, Colonel Mohiuddin, sector commander at Ramu, Cox’s Bazar, alleged that the Arakan Army is involved with drug trafficking and has for years used Bangladeshi middlemen for smuggling and human trafficking. “Because there is effectively no functioning government in parts of Myanmar, negotiations are often impossible,” he said, “but we have tried hard to bring back the fishermen detained in Myanmar.”
As families wait and communities grow more anxious, the central question remains unresolved: what concrete steps will authorities take to restore safety and ensure that fishermen can ply the Naf without fear?