Twenty-one cattle traders were sentenced to five years jail each on August 29 in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State for illegal cattle trading from Arakan State to Bangladesh, said a relative of one of the cattle traders from  Rathedaung Township.

On July 9, a boat carrying 75 cattle, including 55 buffaloes and 20 cows from Anauk Prang village of Rathedaung Township went to Shapuri Dip of Bangladesh along with 21 crew and five passengers. The owner of the boat is U Ba Tin of the village, said one of the passengers.

They safely reached Bangladesh and sold all the cattle. After selling the cattle, the (21) crew members including 16 Rohingyas and 5 Rakhines returned home without the passengers on July 14.

They were arrested by the Nasaka personnel of Inn Din Nasaka camp of Maungdaw Township while on the way home. Once detained, they were handed over to Maungdaw police station. Later, they were sent to Sittwe police station, the relative added.

On August 29, they were produced before the Sittwe court and were each sentenced to five years for cattle smuggling from Arakan State to Bangladesh.

The cattle traders have been conducting their business' following an understanding with the local authorities. But sometimes they have face arrest by other authorities on the way to and from their destinations, said a local trader who requested anonymity.

However Bangladesh welcomes the import of Burmese cattle. Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) collects tax from the cattle traders and gives them full security in Bangladesh. So cattle traders from Burma want to sell their cattle in Bangladesh for fat profit, said a local elder from Shapuri Dip of Bangladesh.

The arrested cattle traders have been identified as: Hamid Hussain (35), Rashid Ahmed (28), Imam Hussain (25), Habib Ullah (35), Ayub (27), Khala Meah (24), Nur Boshor(26), Abdu Salam (45), Ledu Meah (30), Rahmat Ullah(20), Musa Ali (26), Kala Mia (40), Md. Taher(20), Hala Mea (27), Abu Baker Siddique (35) and six others.