Maungdaw: Burmese border authorities have restricted the number of travelers allowed into Bangladesh on a seven day visa to 25 per day, through the Maungdaw-Teknaf border point, a trader in Maungdaw said.

"The authorities have not allowed more than 25 travelers to visit Bangladesh on a seven-day visa since March 13, without ascribing any reason," he added.

Prior to March 13, the border authorities allowed at least 70 to 80 travelers a day to cross through the Maungdaw-Teknaf border point on a seven day visa to visit Bangladesh.

"We are now facing difficulty visiting Bangladesh after the authorities reduced the rate of visitors per day. Our business has also been suffering since then," he said.

On the western Burma border, there are two ways Burmese nationals can visit Bangladesh; one is on a single-day visa, and another is on a seven-day visa that must be applied for in advance.

Visitors on both types of visas cross over to Bangladesh through the Maungdaw-Teknaf border point on board a machine boat ferry across the Naff River.

A trader from Maungdaw said that Burmese visitors must submit their applications for a seven-day visa to the Burmese immigration department, along with a testimonial letter from the Border Merchant Association in Maungdaw.

Without the testimony of the Border Merchant Association, the immigration authorities will not issue permission to visit Bangladesh. According to the Border Merchant Association, the higher authorities ordered them to issue testimonial letters to no more than 25 people per day, but no details as to why they were prohibiting travel to Bangladesh was given.

Businessmen from the border areas are now anxious regarding the new restrictions on seven-day visitors to Bangladesh, and are worried that border trade may be negatively affected.