Authorities in Bangladesh have detained three men suspected of being members of the Arakan Army (AA) after they crossed the border from Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
The men, dressed in civilian clothing, were apprehended on the evening of 23 February by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel in the Amtoli border area of Naikhochori Township, within Bandarban District. According to local reports, the detainees identified themselves as members of the Arakan Army during initial questioning.
However, there are conflicting accounts regarding their true identity. An ethnic Rakhine citizen in Bangladesh told the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA) that the men might actually be Bangladeshi nationals of Rakhine ethnicity from the Hill Tracts region rather than insurgents. “Their status as AA members is not yet confirmed; it is more likely they are local citizens,” the source said.
The BGB reportedly seized a quantity of Myanmar Kyats from the suspects before handing them over to local police for legal processing. The Arakan Army’s spokesperson, U Khaing Thukha, has been contacted for clarification, but a formal response is still pending.
The detentions come at a delicate time for cross-border relations. Only a week earlier, on 16 February, the Arakan Army repatriated 73 Bangladeshi fishermen who had been held in their custody, a move seen as a positive diplomatic gesture.
Despite these humanitarian efforts, residents in the border town of Maungdaw remain cautious. “While there are diplomatic connections being made, the situation on the ground at the border remains unpredictable,” one resident noted. “Trade routes are still unstable, and arrests on both sides continue to occur”.
The Arakan Army has recently sought to formalize ties with the new administration in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi state media recently reported that the AA sent a congratulatory message to the new government, expressing a desire to forge a “new path” of friendship and cooperation between the people of Rakhine and Bangladesh.
