KALADAN NEWS

Dated-23rd May 2003

NASAKA INSPIRE SMUGGLING FUEL OIL FROM BANGLADESH

Chittagong, May 23: The concerned authorities of

Nasaka in Burma inspire smuggling of fuel oil into the

country from Bangladesh. The dealers of Burma pay

money in advance to their Bangladesh counterparts for

fuel oil, according to our correspondent.

Smuggling through Bangladesh-Burma border at Ukhiya

and Teknaf in Cox’s Bazaar continues unabated, he

further added.

Fuel oil, fertilizer, medicine and daily commodities

are being smuggled out of Bangladesh, while wide

variety of stationery and cosmetics as well as drugs

are coming to the country through the Burma border,

sources said.

Burma goods like iron locks, cloths, umbrellas,

sandals, current nets, torches, ropes, chickpeas,

salts, fishes and food-products such as pickle,

Kasue-nuts flooded the markets of Cox’s Bazar. Later,

the goods make way to different parts of the country,

source said.

Some products of third countries are also being

smuggled through Burma where they have duty-free

access or access with a nominal duty, sources said.

At the same time the border is being used as a route

for illegal drugs. On the other hand there is an acute

crises of rice, diesel and fertilizers at the border

areas of Teknaf, Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar District

following smuggling of those to Burma.

Smuggling of rice got an increasing trend as on the

other side of the border it sales at 330 to 375/-

Kyats (equivalent to Tk.22 to 25) per kg in Burma

currency. Once, rice was being smuggled to Bangladesh

from Burma. This is happening because of the present

ruling military junta creates artificial scarcity of

rice in Arakan State, said a man to our correspondent.

Smugglers use different village, hilly paths and

rivarine routes of the river Naaf.

The mills and factories and water transport along the

border areas from Maungdaw to Buthidaung townships on

Burma side depend on the fuel oil smuggled from

Bangladesh, sources said.

The smuggled fuel oil is also used in generators of

business firms and even for meeting household needs in

the border areas of Burma. Fuel oil is being sold

Kyats 450/- per liter in different bordering areas in

Burma, they said.

Editor

Kaladan Press Network

E-mail: [email protected]