In order to increase the Myanmar-Bangladesh bilateral trades, the plan to run a coastal shipping line fromRakhine State’s capital city Sittweto Bangladesh’s port city Chittagong was taken, but even after
more than a year, it  has not been implemented.

The traders from both the countries  agreed to initiative and they are still waiting since June 2022 forfunctioning of the Sittwe-Chittagong shippingline.

But U Tin Aung Oo, chairman of Rakhine State chamber of commerce and industry (RSCCI), recently stated thatMyanmar’s inland shipping departmentis still reviewing the bilateral agreement.

In order to operate the shipping line, nine traders from Bangladesh (led by Bangla ambassador and Banglaconsul in Sittwe) and 27 traders fromRakhine State (led by RSCCI) assembled for a discussion in a Sittwe hotel on 17 and 18 June 2022.

The shipping line will connect the Sittwe port, recently built by India, with the Chittagong port.

Currently, the goods from Myanmar are being sent to Teknaf jetty in Bangladesh through Kanyin Chaung bordertrade station in Maungdaw and Shwe Mingang border trade station in Sittwe.

The border trade is allowed only through the Teknaf point over  Naff river. So the traders from both theneighbouring countries have to spend more amount of money and it makes the affair costly.

A Sittwe-based merchant revealed that they are facing difficulties in transporting goods to Bangladesh asit’s allowed to use Teknaf jetty only.

"Exporting goods from Teknaf  to Chittagong by the cars cost more money. Once we get opportunities toship our goods to Chittagong, it willbe easier for me. So if we are allowed to use a separate shipping
line it will reduce our expenditure,” he added.

Chittagong port remains an active junction for the Myanmar-Bangladesh border trades. So using that port forour activities, we will get advantagewith the increases volume of trades.

Bangladesh, with a population of over 165 million, is a very large market for the Burmese traders.

But  due to the government’s centralized system, only afew agricultural products like ginger, onion, chili,turmeric, freshwater fishetc  are now being exported to Bangladesh. Hence the Rakhine traders believe that the Sittwe-Chittagongcoastal shipping plan will benefitthem along with the mainland traders.