Narinjara news
Bangladesh-Burma border
trade resumes today
Cox’sbazar, 7th September 03: Bangladesh-Burma
border trade through Teknaf, southern part of Bangladesh, resumes today after
six days as the deadlock ended yesterday following a fruitful negotiation
between the parties concerned at a joint meeting at Cox’s bazaar, according to
our correspondent quoted a local prominent businessman.
The border trade came to a halt on Monday when a joint body of importers,
exporters, C&F agents and truck owners in Teknaf enforced the strike
protesting ‘extortion and harassment’ by police and BDR, border security
force.
They alleged the members of BDR and police in the name of checking documents
and contraband goods often harass them at border and on several points on the
Teknaf- Cox’sbazar road while transporting
goods.
After discussion, the joint meeting decided that the law enforcers or the
customs officers would not stop the truck carrying export-import goods to and
from Teknaf at those points on Teknaf-Cox’sbazar
road.
It was decided that all necessary checking will be done by the police BDR joint
forces at Teknaf and not elsewhere, source said.
The meeting attended by representatives from all trade bodies in Cox’sbazar and Teknaf, and the police, BDR and truck owners
also agreed in principle to consider the 10-point demands of the traders.
Deputy Commissioner of Cox’bazar, following a
directive by the State Minister for communications Salahuddin
Ahmed, convened the meeting to end the deadlock that badly affected the border
trade.
The government had been incurring a revenue loss of TK 15,00,000
to Tk 20,00,000 daily following the suspension of
border trade, the businessman said.
The all trade bodies alleged the BDR forces use to intercept trucks and
vehicles at several points on Teknaf-Cox’sbazar road
and demand extortion.
Goods like food grain, shoe, sandal, onion, spices, umbrella and fish are
imported everyday from