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Published : 28 Apr 2026, 10:49 AM
A Chakma day labourer has gone missing while fishing for crabs in the Naf River along the Teknaf-Ukhiya border. His family alleges he was abducted.
On Wednesday morning, Sa Mun Ching Chakma left for crab collection near Anjuman Para, adjacent to Palongkhali in Ukhiya. He has not returned since, his wife Sammia Thanchangya said.
According to her, the incident has left the family crippled with anxiety and concern.
“We suspect my husband has been abducted. Since the incident, we have had no information about him,” she added.
Two other Chakma men who previously went missing in similar circumstances also remain untraced.
A general diary (GD) has been filed at Ukhiya Police Station over the incident, Sammia noted.
When contacted, Ukhiya Police chief Md Mujibur Rahman said: “The matter is being handled by the assigned officer.”
Sub-Inspector Abdul Azad of the same police station said progress remains thin due to the lack of clues and the proximity to the border.
2 Missing For Two Years
Locals said such incidents are not new. About two years ago, two Chakma men -- Chailla Mong Chakma and Kyamongkhoe Tanchangya -- went missing while on the hunt for crabs and fish in the same area and have not been found since.
Thirty-year-old Chailla and 19-year-old Tanchangya were residents of Lambaghona Chakma Para in Ward No. 4 of Whykong Union in Teknaf.
Chailla’s brother Piramong Chakma said they went missing at around 7am on May 16, 2024, while collecting crabs in the Naf River near Gate No. 5 adjacent to House Island.
“A witness at the scene told us they were being held there. We suspect an armed group may have taken them. We do not know why they were held. No ransom demand has been made so far.
“Nearly two years have passed. Now we fear for their safety and possible loss of life,” he added.
No Visible Action Despite Complaints
Families say no effective action has followed despite filing a written complaint at Teknaf Model Police Station and informing Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and intelligence agencies.
Prabhat Tanchangya Alo, organisational secretary of Bangladesh Indigenous Forum’s Cox’s Bazar district unit, said the complaint was filed on May 17 following the earlier disappearance.
He added that repeated approaches to authorities have not produced visible progress.
‘Rescue Difficult If Border Is Crossed’
The BGB, however, says many incidents occur when people cross into Myanmar in violation of restrictions.
Lt Col Md Zahirul Islam, commander of Ukhia Battalion of BGB, told bdnews24.com that fishing and crab collection in the Naf River are officially banned, yet people still enter the area by evading the authorities.
He said some go missing and some are injured in mine blasts, but they still take on the risk.
The commander also said some of them are linked to illegal activities, including drugs.
He added that authorities are discouraging such crossings and working with stakeholders, noting that entering another country beyond the border also involves personal responsibility.
According to him, most alleged abduction cases reported by fishermen involve individuals who had entered Myanmar, while evidence of abduction from inside Bangladesh is rarely found.
Teknaf Police chief Saiful Islam, who took his post before the elections, noted he was unaware of the two-year-old case but promised to look into it.
Mong Thoi Hla Rakhain, president of a local indigenous union in Cox’s Bazar, said many people who go to the area for livelihood never return, adding that a lack of effective rescue measures is deepening frustration among families.
