After a month-long hiatus, three cargo boats carrying goods from Yangon to Teknaf land port in Cox’s Bazar were intercepted by Myanmar’s rebel group, the Arakan Army, at the mouth of the Naf River.
The incident occurred on Thursday (January 16) around noon in the Nakhyangdiya area, within Myanmar’s territorial waters near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
Jasim Uddin, General Manager of United Land Port Limited, the operator of Teknaf land port, confirmed the development. He stated, “Three large cargo boats were expected to arrive at Teknaf port from Myanmar this morning. However, they were stopped midway on the Naf River under the pretext of inspection. No further updates have been received as of yet.”
The Arakan Army’s growing presence in Rakhine State has severely disrupted trade activities. On December 8, the rebel group reportedly took control of Maungdaw Township in Rakhine. Since then, no cargo vessels have arrived at Teknaf port, with the last shipment being received on December 3.
According to port officials and local traders, the detained boats transported goods such as pickles, dried fish, betel nuts, and cabbages. However, the exact details and quantity of the goods remain unconfirmed.
One port official remarked, “The seizure of Maungdaw Township by the Arakan Army has significantly impacted trade. Cargo boats have been unable to reach Teknaf port for over a month. Now, these boats have been intercepted mid-journey in the Naf River.”
Ehteshamul Haque Bahadur, General Secretary of the Teknaf Land Port C&F Agents Association, said, “We were informed that three cargo boats carrying goods from Myanmar were en route to Teknaf port. However, we learned that they were intercepted for inspection. Since then, we have received no updates.”
The Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Teknaf also commented on the situation, saying, “The boats are from Myanmar, and they were intercepted by the Arakan Army within their territorial waters. However, the goods onboard belong to Bangladeshi traders. This issue needs to be addressed with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).”
Efforts to contact Lt. Col. Ashiqur Rahman, Commander of the 2nd BGB Battalion, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls.
The ongoing conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State continues to create hurdles for trade and commerce in the region. Bangladeshi traders and port authorities hope for a swift resolution to resume normal operations at Teknaf land port.
By Cox’s Bazar Life/Abdur Rashid Manik
Photo: Collected
