Maungdaw: The Buthidaung-Maungdaw motor road, the main road in western Burma for trade with Bangladesh, collapsed yesterday in three locations, after heavy rains, a businessman from Maungdaw said.

"It is the beginning of the monsoon season and the road collapsed. All transportation has come to a halt between Buthidaung and Maungdaw since yesterday after the motor road was damaged," he said.

The road is the primary communication link between western Burma and Bangladesh, and is essential for trade between the two countries. Many people, including traders and travellers, have been delayed since yesterday due to the damaged road.

The road is only 16 miles in length, but it has been constructed through difficult terrain of a mountain range.

"The road was constructed by the British around 1910, when they ruled Arakan, but there has been no real renovation since the British left the country in 1948," the businessman added.

The road typically collapses every year, and last year it was severely damaged multiple times throughout the monsoons. However, the authorities have never undertaken work to repair the road.

A senior monk from Maungdaw, who did not want to disclose his identity said, "We asked the government authorities once to repair the road because it is an important road in western Burma. But, the authorities said that if the road was a proper one, many Muslims from Bangladesh would enter into Arakan to settle. So they neglect the reconstruction of the road."

The monk added that the authority's excuse was probably sincere, because the authorities are aware that the road is important in western Burma and the government also uses it for transportation on a daily basis. However, still no effort has been made to improve it.

Throughout Arakan State, there are many roads besides the Buthidaung-Maungdaw motor road, which are in a state of damage and disrepair.