No Rohingya businessmen in Maungdaw trade association

Maungdaw, Arakan State: No Rohingya businessmen are selected as a central executive committee (CEC) in Maungdaw trade association in its annual meeting which held on February 26, said a Rohingya businessman from Maungdaw.  

The trade association annual meeting was held in Daywanawdi hall on February 26 and its was organized by Trade Association chairman, U Shwe Tha.

The administration officers who run the trade association was mixed with Rakhine businessmen and Rohingya businessmen since its organized but this year there are no Rohingya administration officers in Trade Association, said a member from Trade Association.

“The meeting organizer didn’t invite all the members of Association and invite from a few from rural areas not from Maungdaw town municipal area.”

“In the meeting, the former CEC didn’t declare Association’s financial statement and future plan.” 

There are 5000 Rohingya members and only 300 Rakhine members. In Maungdaw, most of the businessmen are Rohingya and others who need to go to Bangladesh need to be a member of trade association to get a business border trade passport. The CEC of Trade Association requested to the authority – Nasaka and Immigration- to help to collect fund by recommendation of Trade Association and request no to issue border pass without Trade Association’s recommendation, said an Rohingya elder.

“The members need to pay 10,000 Kyat per head to renewal of their memberships and to become a new membership need to pay 40,000 kyat. Most of Association fund came from Rohingya community.”

The Rohingya - former CEC members of Trade Association- were dismissed with allegation of involving political party and selected all CEC members from Rakhine community, said a politician from Maungdaw.

If the Rohingya didn’t a passport to go to Bangladesh for medical treatment, the Trade Association will be paralyzed to establish the Association, said a former CEC member of Association.