Border News Agency
Maungdaw, September 24

Residents of Arakha are calling for proper inspections of snack products imported from Bangladesh, as some packages reportedly lack expiration dates or contain expired products. They say the Arakha authorities need to carefully assess whether these snacks are safe for consumption.

The snacks are reportedly being imported in large quantities because they are exempt from import taxes. However, some products have already expired by the time they reach Arakha. Children are among the main consumers of these snacks.

Residents say the Arakha People’s Revolutionary Government’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needs to inspect these products to determine whether they are safe for consumption.

“I bought a packet of snacks from Bangladesh and found mold inside. This is very dangerous. Adults may be able to notice the mold, but children might not recognize it and could eat it. That’s why we are asking the government to inspect these products,” a woman from Maungdaw told Border News Agency.

Residents also say that many snack packages have inadequate labeling, with expiration dates printed only in Bangladeshi language. As a result, consumers may fail to notice the dates before purchasing and eating the products, sometimes discovering that the snacks have become moldy.

Maungdaw residents are therefore urging the Arakha government to inspect and regulate snacks imported from Bangladesh to protect the public, especially children, from potentially unsafe food products.

“Imported snacks need to be inspected before they are allowed into the region. Importing snacks may be good for business, but it is very dangerous if children eat products that are unfit for consumption. Ideally, the snacks should be checked at the border checkpoints to determine whether they are safe before being allowed into Arakha,” another Maungdaw resident told Border News Agency.

Residents also emphasized that a systematic food inspection system at border checkpoints is necessary to ensure consumer safety.

Since the Arakha decisive battle began, the military junta has imposed a blockade on Arakha, restricting the movement of goods and supplies into the region. As a result, Arakha has been importing goods from neighboring countries.

Among these imports, medicines and cosmetic products are already being inspected by the Arakha People’s Revolutionary Government’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine whether they are safe for use.