The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) authorities through their agents in North Arakan control almost all lucrative businesses such as paddy, cattle, red-chilli, onion, hardwood,bamboos, fishes and salt, etc, said a businessman ofMaungdaw Township.
The District Peace and Development Council (DPDC)Chairman Lt. Col. Soe Twe, Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) Chairman Capt. Hla Pu, the Commander of the Nasaka Headquarters Lt. Col. Aung Ngwe and the Commander of Military Intelligence No.18
Capt. Soe Tat Thait of Maungdaw Township held a meeting on 5th June 2002 to control all lucrative businesses, said a source in SPDC administration. In this meeting, they discussed and finally approved to export paddy and cattle to Bangladesh. As per decision of the meeting the TPDC authorities of Maungdaw Township was awarded to export 4,50,000 Tans or baskets of paddy (one Tan = 32 Kgs.) and 1,200 cattle heads to Bangladesh till the end of December 2002 through two SPDC appointed agents namely Zahir Ahmed and Rafique, the source further said.

The agents have to pay the prices of paddy and cattle in US Dollar to SPDC at their fixed prices. The SPDC fixed the paddy price US$ 2.60 per Tan and US$170 per cattle head. The SPDC and TSPDC concerned authorities will supply all the goods to the appointed agents,
said another businessman.

In northern Arakan, the SPDC, Nasaka, Army and Military Intelligence control all the daily affairs of Rohingyas through their agents. They rule the Arakan from kitchen to palace with iron hand. The Rohingyas are also strictly prohibited their freedom of movement. Therefore, the economic bases of Rohingya Muslims deteriorated day by day, said a Rohingya political leader. The Rohingyas have been mostly affected since 1988 after the present military junta took power. In fact, the Arakan is like a big jail for Rohingyas, he further added.

In spite of introducing the “opened market system” in Burma, the Burmese SPDC junta has been established a new system called “agent market system” in northern Arakan, which is not known to the other parts of the country, said a leading businessman. This system is
particularly imposed in northern Arakan by the ruling junta. According to the system, Rohingya villagers are not allowed to sell their products or produce to the open market and have been compelled to sell their goods to the appointed agents of SPDC with much lower
prices than those of open market prices, he further said.

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