Kaladan News

 

Dated: Wednesday, January 12, 2005

 

Bangladesh- Burma Border Trade Turns down

 


Teknaf, January 12
: Burma-Bangladesh border trade has turned down due to some dealings taken by a new administration body, said our source from Teknaf, a border town of Bangladesh.

 

After the sack of  Prime Minister Khin Nyunt from his position on October 18, 2004, in place of Nasaka Force, temporally the administration is conducted by--- custom, police, immigration and army--- ( new administration body) excluding the Military Intelligence. Therefore, the administrations are being a little bit changed, he further added.

 

The new administration body imposed restriction on movement of businessmen in the middle of December last year broadly upsetting the border trade between the two neighboring countries, sources said.

 

Due to restriction, the revenue collection at the Burmese border has declined to around Tk 550 million during the last 6 months, the custom officer of Teknaf said.

 

It is also alleged that since the very beginning of the border trade, non-cooperation from the Burmese authority has been affecting normal trade relations of the two countries.

 

At present, the new administration body is not issuing any visa to the Burmese businessmen, similarly Bangladeshi Businessmen are not also allowed to stay in that country, a businessman from Maungdaw town seeking anonymity said.

 

As a result, the provision of visiting and staying in Burma for business purpose are being hampered seriously, sources said.

 

When asked, a number of local businessmen expressed their opinions that the traders of both countries should be allowed to carry out business as per agreement signed earlier for the sake of existing border trade between Bangladesh and Burma. ##

 

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