Mizzima
The bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Myanmar through the Teknaf land port came to a complete halt last week due to the escalation of the fighting in Rakhine State between the Myanmar junta forces and the Arakan Army (AA).
No vessels from Myanmar have docked at the port since Sunday 3 March, said Jasim Uddin Chowdhury, general manager of the privately run land port.
Water vessels are used to import items of foodstuffs and general merchandise from Myanmar through the port.
Before that, 15 to 22 vessels with goods such as chilled fish, pickles, dried fish, rice, dried coconuts, onions, gingers, and wood from the country used to dock at the port every day, he said.
Since November, the number of vessels had dropped to five to seven. The imports have remained suspended now, he added.
The local business persons warned that the price of some essentials, including onions and ginger, might rise ahead of Ramadan since the import of the items from Myanmar has almost stopped.
Myanmar exports ginger, onion, garlic, frozen fish, coconut, betel nut and timber to Bangladesh and it imports potatoes, garments, plastic wares, aluminum and other products from Bangladesh.
The import from Myanmar had been decreasing since November after the AA launched attacks against the Myanmar military forces in Rakhine, which borders with Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban and Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas in Cox’s Bazar, Jasim said.
Owing to inadequate local production, Bangladesh has to rely on imports to meet the demand for onions and gingers, among other vegetables and spices.
He said the businessmen who import goods from Myanmar are now in a difficult situation as the two banks in Maungdaw and Sittwe that receive foreign demand drafts from Sonali Bank and AB Bank of Bangladesh don’t have access to the telecommunication network.
