Sonar Para market in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar, has emerged as a major trading centre for fresh betel nuts, with large quantities arriving daily from different parts of Teknaf, Ukhia and Ramu and being shipped to markets across the country.
Known particularly for its betel nut trade, the market hosts a large weekly market on designated days.
Trading begins early in the morning, when farmers, collectors, wholesalers, and traders arrive with fresh betel nuts transported from Teknaf and surrounding areas.
During a recent visit to the Sonarpara betel nut market, I saw large quantities of fresh betel nuts piled up at different spots. Most of the nuts had come from various areas of Teknaf.
As the morning progressed, the market grew busier with buyers and sellers, while wholesalers and traders selected and purchased betel nuts in large quantities.
Local traders said they collected the betel nuts from orchards in different parts of Teknaf, Ukhia and Ramu before bringing them to Sonarpara for wholesale trading. Large traders then purchase the nuts and transport them by trucks and other vehicles to different parts of the country.
Betel nut seller Nuruzzaman said many large traders came to the Sonarpara market to buy betel nuts.
“All the betel nuts brought to the market are sold within a short time. Traders bring betel nuts from Teknaf and other areas to sell here,” he said.
According to Sonarpara market trader Hakim Saudagar, betel nuts worth around Tk 80-90 lakh are traded at the market on each market day.
“As the market is held more than once a week, transactions worth several crore taka take place around the market during the season. The overall volume of betel nut trade across the greater Ukhia-Teknaf region is even higher,” he said.
Betel nuts traded at Sonarpara are not limited to the Cox’s Bazar market. Through wholesalers, they are transported to markets in Chattogram, Dhaka, Cumilla, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet and other parts of the country.
A large business chain has developed around the market, involving betel nut farmers, orchard owners, collectors, labourers, wholesalers, commission agents and transport operators.
Local traders said Sonarpara had become one of Cox’s Bazar’s important betel nut trading centres because of the large volume of regular transactions.
They said the market’s importance was growing because farmers could sell their freshly harvested betel nuts quickly.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Hussain Shetu
