Trade halted at Teknaf port for a week; businesses in limbo

The Teknaf land port in Cox's Bazar has witnessed a complete cessation of import and export activities with Myanmar since 14 November, significantly impacting trade between the two nations.

According to Teknaf land port sources, the sudden closure stemmed from clashes between Myanmar security forces and the Arakan Army, a pro-independence armed group in Rakhine state.

This abrupt suspension has resulted in substantial financial losses for the government, averaging Tk3 crore daily.

Teknaf land port customs officer ASM Mosharraf Hossain said, "We've incurred a total revenue loss of approximately Tk15 crore so far, with the government losing over Tk3 crore daily due to this abrupt trade suspension."

The most recent shipment, a 47-ton frozen fish consignment from Myanmar's Akyab (Sittwe) port, reached Teknaf on 13 November.

The trade freeze has affected the port-based traders' engagements with Rakhine's Maungdoo district across the Naf River, which is located only five kilometres away from Teknaf.

While talking to The Business Standard, Teknaf Land Port C&F Agent Association President Aminur Rahman expressed uncertainty about when trade might resume and noted that local businesses are bearing the brunt of this suspension.

On condition of anonymity, a businessman based in this port said that a curfew was issued in the city of Akyab in Rakhine on 13 November due to an ongoing clash between military and ethnic minorities across the country. Therefore, the Akyab administration ordered the closure of businesses in the city 8:30pm.

On Monday (20 November), an eerie stillness was observed at the Teknaf-Myanmar transit jetty with no cargo trawler or vessels in sight.

Consequently, port workers were idle, while more than fifty adjacent shops along the Teknaf-Cox's Bazar highway remained closed, contrasting the usual bustling traffic around the port entrance.

The trade disruption has hit approximately 600 daily wage workers at the port, according to labour leader Ali Azgar Majhi.

Meanwhile, frozen fish importer M Kaiser expressed concerns about Bangladeshi traders' products being stranded in Myanmar, particularly perishable items like frozen fish, which might result in significant losses if not retrieved within a specified timeframe.

Trader Omar Farooq imports onions, ginger, betel nuts and betel nuts from Myanmar.

He said, "At the start of this month, we imported 1,300 tons of onions and ginger from Myanmar. Additionally, we procured 600 tons of onions and 400 tons of ginger for import. The prevailing uncertainty in import-export activities raises concerns about the spoilage of these perishable goods."

"Apart from this, around 400 tonnes of dry fruits and 550 tonnes of betel nuts are currently stranded in Myanmar."