Export-import with Myanmar thru Teknaf suspended for four months

Photo shows Teknaf Land Port in Cox’s Bazar, which wears a deserted look due to closure for long four months – FE Photo

Almost all export and import activities between Bangladesh and Myanmar through Teknaf Land Port in Cox’s Bazar have remained suspended for nearly four months, putting hundreds of traders involved the sectors in trouble.

Due to the closure of the port’s operation, export-import goods worth crores of taka stored in the warehouses are rotting and getting waste.

The government is losing a huge amount of revenue for non-delivery of the goods. In addition, thousands of port-dependent workers have been deprived of their daily income and also become unemployed.

On the spot, it was seen that the entire port is lying empty. There is no product stored in the field. There are no trawlers or ships loaded with goods at the jetty on the Naf River. There is no movement of traders. All the doors of the godowns are locked.

Port-dependent workers said that about 1,500 of them are engaged in export-import activities here. Their work has been stopped for the past four months due to which they are unable to make a daily living. They have no alternative work. In this situation, they have to live a very helpless and measurable life. If the situation continues, their family members will have no choice but to starve to death.

Port traders claim that cement and potatoes worth crores of taka, which were stored for export to Myanmar, have been destroyed. They do not know why border trade was stopped. As a result, hundreds of importers and exporters have faced financial losses.

“Goods cannot be exported due to lack of consent from the Arakan Army, the occupier of Rakhine State. No goods are being allowed to enter Teknaf Land Port from Myanmar. This has put hundreds of traders in trouble,” an agency representative named Mohammad Ullah said.

“Now government intervention is needed to restart trade between the two countries. In addition, there are cement, potatoes and some other food products in the port’s godown. All of them have been destroyed. This has caused a loss of about half a crore taka,” he added.

Port trader Md Abdullah said that some goods were stuck in the port. There were 15 carts of potatoes. All of them have been destroyed.

Besides, there are more than 20 shops in front of Teknaf Land Port where there was always a hustle and bustle of port workers. But now the whole picture is different with many shops remaining closed due to absence of the workers.

Port worker Sardar Alam said, “There are 1,500 workers at Teknaf Land Port. Now we all are unemployed as the port has remained closed for 4-5 months. Financially, everyone is struggling with their families.”

Teknaf Land Port Revenue Officer Md. Sohel Uddin said the port collected Tk 6.4 billion (Tk640 crore) revenue in the fiscal year 2022-23, Tk4.04 billion (Tk404 crore) in the FY 2023-24 and Tk1.1 billion (Tk110 crore) revenue in the FY 2024-25; but on the contrary the port has not received any revenue in the past four months. He expressed unawareness of the reason for the land port closure. Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Abu Morshed Chowdhury said, “Teknaf Land Port is also one of the places where huge foreign currency is earned.

The prevailing problem can be solved through discussions. Then the traders will survive and products will be exported and imported through the port. Border trade between Bangladesh and Myanmar was introduced in 1995 to discourage smuggling on the border.”