Narinjara News


Contraband goods from Burma seized in Bangladesh


Chittagong, 4^th March 03:  During the last fifteen days the Bangladesh Coast Guard seized contraband goods from the coastal areas, according to UNB, a news agency.

The seized items included timber, nylon hosepipes, ropes and various brands of alcoholic drinks from Burma.  The estimated worth of the seized items is about US dollar 14,000.

In an official handout it was said that, a sea pirate was arrested during the drive and the seized goods deposited to lawful authority.

It may be mentioned here that, nylon ropes and hosepipes that get smuggled into Bangladesh mainly come from Thailand, and many of the consumer electrical and electronics products are from China, while large amount of teak come from Burma.  The Burmese whisky, beer and other alcoholic beverages are very cheap so that increasingly they are being smuggled into Bangladesh, besides the agricultural produce including rice, onion, salt, and cattle.

The two neighbouring countries are now trying to stop the illegal traffic and open up more for legal export and import where third country goods will not be allowed to be traded, the two countries agreed when the Burmese junta chief general Than Shwe visited Bangladesh last December.

The large number of Chinese and Thai goods is smuggled into Burma so that the inclusion of those products will be avoided in future trade, it was learnt.   #