CNI News

7 September 2023

In the border trade with Bangladesh, water products are allowed to export to Bangladesh through the Sittwe border trade camp only, which makes the traders in Maungdaw difficult reportedly. 

Aiming to carry out trade activities in an orderly manner and to develop trade, in the border trade with Bangladesh, water products and agricultural products are only allowed to be exported through the Sittwe Trade Station, said in a statement released by the trade department. 

A variety of freshwater and saltwater fish, and agricultural products - rice, broken rice, various kinds of pea and bean, sesame, peanut and onion have been allowed to export at the Sittwe Trade Station only starting from 4th September, 2023, said in the statement.

The traders who are mainly exporting freshwater carp, and workers in Maungdaw have found it difficult because the traders are not allowed to export water products including freshwater carp to Bangladesh through Maungdaw reportedly. 

When the products are exported through Sittwe, because it takes long, the quality of water products declines and the price also declines, said U Thein Maung, a trader from Maungdaw in Rakhine State, to CNI News.

Commodities are being carried at the Rakhine-Bangladesh border trade

" The department doesn't issue new license anymore for the products that are included in the statement starting from 4th September. The rest products are being exported. The products mentioned in the statement will be exported through Sittwe but not through Maungdaw. Especially water products were being mainly exported through Maungdaw. Now that these products are not allowed to export through Maungdaw, the workers and others all have been in crisis. Fish is a kind of perishable products and it takes 45 minutes or one hour if you go to Bangladesh from Maungdaw by boat, but from Sittwe, it may take about 24 hours. Because it takes too long, the water products' quality declines. And then, the prices also fall down. To be the best is to export water products through Maungdaw rather than other products. If you go from Sittwe, you can't sell at a higher price." said U Thein Maung.

Export of goods to Bangladesh through Sittwe is almost non-existent reportedly. Because export of goods throufg Sittwe is taking too time, quality declining, costlier and prices declining, traders are exporting their goods through Taungup and Maungdaw reportedly. If water products were exported through Sittwe, the trader may make a loss without making a profit, said the traders from Maungdaw.

So, the statement probably released to export water products and agricultural products through Sittwe in order to increase freight in Sittwe and the traders in Maungdaw have presented to the relevant authorities to allow them to export water products through Maungdaw, said U San Aung, a trader from Maungdaw, to CNI News.

" Sittwe is the capital of Rakhine State, but of the ports in the state, at its port, flow of goods became almost non-existent. Agricultural products such as ginger are exported through Taungup.If the goods are exported through Taungup, truck fare is low. Export of goods was conducted a lot through Maungdaw. The flow of goods became non-exsitent at Sittwe. The traders in Sittwe might be able to present to State Government or relevant senior official about it. The traders in Maungdaw are discussing. Because they are freshwater and saltwater fish exporters, they talked about it with the fisheries department so as to be able export water products through Maungdaw. They are planning to present in black and white. We have asked the fisheries department for help." said U San Aung.

At present, the rest of the goods previously permitted are being exported at Maungdaw border trade camp reportedly.