by Hafizur Rahman
Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh | May 9, 2026
The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has received 14 fishermen, including one Rohingya refugee, after they were detained by the Arakan Army while fishing near the Bangladesh Myanmar border region, according to officials.
The group included 13 Bangladeshi nationals and one Rohingya refugee.
BGB officials said the fishermen had crossed into waters near Myanmar-controlled territory in separate incidents during 2025 and 2026 while fishing in parts of the Bay of Bengal and the Naf River area. They were later detained by the Arakan Army and held in areas under its control.
The fishermen were handed over to BGB on Friday at the zero line near the Naf River.
Lt. Col. Hanifur Rahman Bhuiyan said BGB had communicated with the Arakan Army on humanitarian grounds to secure the release of the detainees.
According to officials, the identities of the returnees are currently being verified with support from local authorities and law enforcement agencies before they are reunited with their families.
The incident reflects the growing role of the Arakan Army in controlling parts of the border and coastal region near Rakhine State, where fishermen and civilians have increasingly faced detention and movement risks amid ongoing conflict.
