The Myanmar military government has suspended cargo transportation and trade between Yangon and Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar.
This decision follows the interference of the Arakan Army, a rebel group, which has been preventing cargo ships from traveling from Yangon to Teknaf’s land port.
As a result, a refrigerated fish shipment bound for Teknaf had to return to Myanmar after being halted off the coast of Sittwe, according to local traders.
The news of the trade suspension was first reported by Myanmar’s Border News Agency on Saturday.
On January 16, while en route from Yangon to Teknaf, three cargo ships were detained by the Arakan Army near the Naikhongdia region on the Naf River, under the pretext of conducting inspections.
After four days, two of the ships were released on Monday, but one ship remained under the custody of the Arakan Army as of Sunday afternoon.
According to media reports, the Myanmar junta government also suspended road trade in several areas of Rakhine, with the Arakan Army intervening in the maritime route.
According to business owners, the junta government imposed the restriction to stop the Arakan Army from taking commissions on cargo shipments between Yangon and Teknaf.
Abu Morshed Chowdhury, president of the Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce, said that the government temporarily halted cargo shipments to Teknaf due to the Arakan Army extorting commissions on goods traveling from Yangon to Teknaf.
This decision will significantly impact trade between the two countries.
To mitigate the damage, both nations need to resolve the situation sincerely; otherwise, traders will face substantial losses, he said.
A report by Myanmar’s Border News Agency, citing a businessman, also mentioned that the cargo ship held by the Arakan Army was under the influence of U Kyauk Taung, a powerful figure with strong connections to Myanmar’s military officers.
It is believed that the junta government temporarily suspended the trade to distance itself from the Arakan Army’s activities and curb their illegal income.
Regarding the halted fish shipment, one business owner, M Kaiser Jewel of Sufia Enterprise, confirmed that the fish cargo from Yangon to Teknaf had been turned back. However, the exact reason for the return remains unclear.
Another business, Jinna & Brothers, has confirmed that shipments from Yangon will be delayed for a while due to ongoing issues.
Traders who had shipments in transit expressed concern over the situation, fearing a prolonged halt in business operations.
As of Sunday, two ships under Arakan Army control have reached Teknaf’s land port, carrying cement from Bangladesh to the Rakhine town of Maungdaw.
Jasim Uddin Chowdhury, general manager of United Land Port Teknaf Limited, which operates the Teknaf land port, expressed hope that the issues would be resolved soon and that the detained cargo ships would be released shortly.
However, further clarification on whether these decisions are by the Myanmar government or the Arakan Army remains unclear.