Mizzima: Bangladesh-Burma border tr

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Legal and smuggling trade between Bangladesh and Burma

By Our Reporter, Mizzima News Group
Dhaka, January 27, 2000

Between period January 1999 to January 2000, there has been adverse
balance of trade between Burma and Bangladesh. According to revenue
records of Taknef, a border town in Bangladesh, worth of goods exported
to Burma by Bangladesh from January 1999 to January 2000 was Taka 3,
272, 400 and from Burma to Bangladesh the worth 291, 227, 000. (One Taka
is equivalent exchange rate Burmese currency Kyat 7)

The goods that Bangladesh exported to Myanmar are cement, iron,
electronic goods, construction goods and goods that Myanmar exported to
Bangladesh are male/ female slippers, eatables, spices, onions, garlic,
beetle nuts, dry chilly, ginger and forest products.

The smuggling trade activities between the two countries are fast
increasing from year to year. The entry passage to Bangladesh is easy.

Rice, forest products, cosmetics, textiles, buffaloes, cows and
household utensils from Burma to Bangladesh worth monthly lakh 600 to
1000 Bangladesh Taka. These smuggled goods specially come through Arakan
State bribing the Army units and Army officers doing joint venture with
Bangladesh. Irrawaddy Delta is the second centre, Tennasarim Division in
Mon State is the third centre of smuggling.

Bangladesh is as big as Shan State but with population 130 million.
Bangladesh population is 3 times of Burma. Eatables, meat, bamboo, house
hold goods are insufficient for domestic consumption in Bangladesh. They
therefore buy from neighboring Burma, opening wholesale trading centres
for smuggled goods. Villages and small towns along the border town
Taknef are conduits for smuggling. There is no inquiry, no arrest if
told goods are for Bangladesh. Hundreds of smugglers of Bangladesh
origin are going and coming. There is clear understanding between
trading centres smuggling from both sides.