Kaladan News

Date: Sunday, June 6, 2004

BDR Seized two Boats of Smuggling Salt En Route from Burma to Bangladesh

Teknaf, June 6: On 6^th May 2004, BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) seized two cargo boats of smuggling table salt en- route from Akyab(Burma) to Bangladesh, according to our correspondent.

Afterwards, the BDR handed over it to the customs of Teknaf and they invited tenders from the local traders on 19^th May and earned only Taka 1,67,200/-(US$ 2,787) by selling the aforesaid table salt, source further added.

The two cargo boat were captured from the Bay of Bengal while they were en route from Akyab( Sittwe) to Bangladesh carrying about 200 tons of table salt.

With more than 1,50,000 metric tons production shortfall this season, the country’s salt market may become unstable in coming months leading to price hike of the essential item, salt mill owners association said.

Hit hard by unfavorable weather, the local salt production is unlikely to cross the 800,000 tons mark this season against the target of 950,000 tons, sources said.

Salt is not imported officially as an average 100,000 tons deficit every year is met by salt smuggled into the country from India and Burma.

Salt production remained off for many days in March and April because of the rainfalls in Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf’s salt producing zones, a salt mill owner said.

According to food ministry sources, the domestic demand for salt was 9,20,000 tons in 2002-03 fiscal year. The demand for this fiscal year has been estimated at 1,150,000 tons.

Presently, salt is produced on about 58,000 acres of land in Cox’s Bazar and nearly 40,000 people are engaged in the salt farming.

Mill owners said the production deficit would encourage smuggling of salt from neighboring countries. ##

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