Arakan News Agency
The coast guard of the Arakan militias announced the arrest of six Bangladeshi fishermen on charges of illegal fishing in the waters of Arakan State, in Maungdaw Township along the western border with Bangladesh.
According to a statement issued by the militias, the arrests took place at around 9:00 a.m. on December 23, after coast guard forces detected six Bangladeshi fishermen conducting unauthorized fishing activities approximately three kilometers west of Min Hlwut Chaung creek, in the southern part of Maungdaw Township.
The statement said the detained fishermen are currently being held and questioned, pending further legal procedures in accordance with existing regulations.
The militias noted that this was not the first such incident in recent weeks. On December 18, coast guard forces arrested six Bangladeshi fishermen in Maungdaw Township, while nine others were detained for illegal fishing near the offshore waters of Alay Than Kyaw.
Earlier, on December 3, coast guard units also apprehended eight Bangladeshi fishermen who were allegedly poaching in Arakan State waters within Maungdaw Township, according to local outlet Narinjara.
The Arakan militias said that since taking control of the entire 271-kilometer border with Bangladesh, as well as full control of Maungdaw Township on December 8, 2024, they have intensified maritime surveillance and enforcement measures against Bangladeshi fishermen who repeatedly enter Arakan waters for illegal fishing.
The coast guard stated that it remains on continuous patrol along the maritime border and will continue detaining individuals involved in illegal fishing, describing the actions as necessary to enforce the law and protect marine resources.
These incidents come amid rising maritime tensions along the western coast of Arakan State, where fishing zones of Bangladesh and Arakan frequently overlap amid weak coordination and limited joint monitoring mechanisms.
Thousands of fishermen on both sides of the border depend on the sea as their primary source of livelihood, leading to recurring cross-border incursions, particularly as economic pressures grow and fishing costs rise.
Since the Arakan militias expanded control over large areas of Maungdaw Township and the border zone, maritime security measures have tightened, resulting in an increased number of arrests linked to illegal fishing, alongside calls for civilian and legal mechanisms to address the issue and prevent further escalation.
