Two Bangladeshi fishermen were shot when members of Myanmar’s armed rebel group Arakan Army opened fire in the Naf River near Shah Porir Dwip, under Sabrang Union in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf, while they were fishing on Monday. The injured are Hedayet Ullah, 17, and Mohammad Hossain, 16, residents of Jalia Para in Shah Porir Dwip.
They are undergoing treatment at Cox’s Bazar General Hospital. Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehsan Uddin said: “Two Bangladeshi fishermen were shot by Arakan Army rebels while fishing in the Naf River this afternoon. We are investigating the incident in more detail.”
Local fishermen said that when the fishermen went to fish in the Bangladesh part of the Naf River in the afternoon, Arakan Army members opened fire at them. Hedayet was shot in the knee and Hossain in the left leg. They were later rescued and admitted to Cox’s Bazar General Hospital.
Md Rezaul, a resident of Shah Porir Dwip, said: “In the morning, three fishermen from Shah Porir Dwip went fishing in the Naf river by boat. Suddenly, around noon, Arakan Army members opened fire at them. Two fishermen were shot. The third returned unharmed.”
Abdur Rahim, elder brother of injured Hedayet Ullah, said: “My brother and another fisherman were shot by the Arakan Army while fishing. They have been admitted to Cox’s Bazar General Hospital.”
Meanwhile, on the same afternoon, members of the Arakan Army reportedly detained three Bangladeshi fishermen from the Naf River near the Leda border in Teknaf’s Hnila Union. The fishermen were taken from the Bangladesh side of the river near the border. They are Siddiq Hossain, 27, Rabiul Alam, 27, and Mahmud Hossain, 30, residents of Lamarpara in East Leda of Hnila Union.