POBNEWS24, Dhaka Jan 19, 2025 : After the occupation of the Rakhine township of Maungdaw by the Arakan Army in Myanmar, the commercial activities of the Teknaf border land port in Cox’s Bazar have come to a standstill.
Those concerned claim that trawlers carrying goods are not coming to the land port due to the obstacles of the Arakan Army on the border waterway.
After a month and a half, the organization has stuck three cargo boats carrying goods at the mouth of the Naf River on their way to the land port from Yangon in Myanmar last Thursday. These boats have 50,000 bags of goods. Although three days have passed, the three cargo boats carrying goods are in the custody of the Arakan Army in the Khayungkhali canal in Maungdaw as of Sunday (December 19) afternoon.
Jasim Uddin, General Manager of United Land Port Limited, the company that operates the Teknaf land port, told this reporter, ‘The Arakan Army has not yet released the cargoes. Since this incident, traders have been in a state of panic.
Before this, the arrival of goods from traders had decreased due to the conflict in Myanmar. However, the government should come forward to solve this problem. Otherwise, traders will turn their backs on Teknaf.’
On December 8 last year, during the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, the Arakan Army took control of Maungdaw Township in Rakhine State. Since then, no cargo ship has come to the port. The last cargo ship from Myanmar arrived at the Teknaf land port on December 3.
After a month and a half, a cargo boat carrying goods from Myanmar’s businessmen Tarua Mita and Shou Tang, along with some other businessmen, left for the Teknaf land port last Saturday from Yangon. After five days, the cargoes were intercepted by the Arakan Army at 12 noon on Thursday in the waters of Myanmar at the mouth of the Naf River. There are more than 50,000 bags of goods. Among them are various goods including pickles, dried fruits, betel nuts, and coffee.
Ehteshamul Haque Bahadur, general secretary of the Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) Agent Association of Teknaf Land Port, said, “Traders trading on the border have been in great danger since the conflict in Myanmar. Many have sent dollars for goods but are unable to bring goods due to the war. This has caused losses to traders. Many traders are thinking of winding down their businesses from Teknaf. Therefore, the government should talk to Myanmar and keep border trade active in the interests of both countries.”
Border traders have been in fear since the Arakan Army occupied the 271-kilometer border in Myanmar. The Arakan Army has been trying to seize a share of trade since then by declaring itself a state. As part of that, on January 16, it seized cargoes carrying goods on their way to the Teknaf land port, a trader at the land port said.
He said, “Since the seizure of the cargoes carrying goods, traders from that country have been contacting them (the Arakan Army). Although they initially said they would release them, now they want a share of the transaction from these goods.”
A trader who did not want to be named said, “To bring cargo trawlers from Myanmar to Bangladesh, they have to cross their waters after Saint Martin’s Island. Which is currently under the control of the Arakan Army. So they have got the opportunity to seize cargo boats carrying goods. If the Arakan Army does not give a permit from their waters, no cargo trawler can come here (to the land port). They are trying to seize a share of the border trade by exploiting that.”
