A dispute over protection money leads to the Myanmar Navy opening fire on Bangladeshi fishing boats and making arrests

Narinjara News, 13 October 2024

In return for protection money, Bangladeshi fishing boats have been permitted to operate illegally in Myanmar's seas by Myanmar Navy vessels that are patrolling the waters close to the country's border with Bangladesh.

Navy vessels have crossed the mouth of the Naf River since the Arakan Army (AA) began an operation against the junta's Done Paik and Chein Khar Li border police stations in Rathedaung Township on November 13, 2023.

Local fishermen claim that in exchange for protection money, these navy vessels have allowed Bangladeshi fishing boats to operate in Myanmar's waterways.

According to a national of Myanmar who works as a broker on St. Martin's Island in Teknaf Upazila, "Bangladeshi fishing boats used to fish by giving the Myanmar Navy protection money. Every day, this protection money is gathered. The conflict between a navy warship and Bangladeshi fishing boats over the receipt of this protection money was the cause of the shooting and arrests that day."

Usaman, 60, a resident of the Kona Para neighborhood on Shah Pori Island in Teknaf Upazila, was killed on October 9 when the Myanmar Navy opened fire on fishing vessels from Bangladesh. In addition to Usaman's boat being taken, six other fishing vessels were also seized, totaling at least 58 arrests.

Locals have noticed that when navy warships obtain protection money, Bangladeshi fishing boats are permitted to fish in Myanmar's waterways. 

“People on land are seeing Bangladeshi fishing boats enter the waters close to the Myanmar navy vessels and harvest fish. They have a long history of fishing in Myanmar's waterways. The Mayu lighthouse is currently being approached by Bangladeshi fishing vessels, who continue to fish in exchange for protection money," the resident said.

Furthermore, locals claim that the junta navy ships positioned at the mouth of the Naf River frequently communicate with Bangladeshi fishing boats, asking for food and clean drinking water.

Regarding the killing of a Bangladeshi fisherman in Myanmar's waters on October 9, Bangladesh has protested to Myanmar.

In response to the Myanmar Navy's October 9, 2024, killing of Usman, a 60-year-old Bangladeshi fisherman from the Kona Para region on Shah Pori Island in Teknaf Upazila of Cox's Bazar, the Bangladeshi ministry of foreign affairs today filed a protest with the government of Myanmar, according to a press statement.

Bangladesh expresses profound concern over this tragic incident, which is made worse by the kidnapping of roughly fifty-eight Bangladeshi fishermen and six fishing boats, including Usman's boat, while they were fishing close to St. Martin's Union in Teknaf Upazila, Bangladesh, in a diplomatic note sent to the Myanmar embassy in Dhaka.

After speaking with the Myanmar Navy and the Bangladesh Coast Guard, the fishermen and their boats were finally released yesterday in two stages.

Bangladesh's government strongly advises Myanmar to act right now to stop such unjustified acts from happening again. Additionally, Bangladesh's territorial waters are fully respected, and Myanmar is urged to refrain from any further provocations.