Boatmen in Sittwe who depend on the capital’s market for transporting goods for vendors and buyers now lack sufficient space on loading dock after the regional government had developed land plots for projects in cooperation with the BXT company along the river bank.

BXT built a jetty where 25 boats can dock because of the demand by boatmen, but it’s not enough for all boats and about 200 row boats face difficulty to load goods.

Since the land near the river bank is zoned for a town planning project, boats have to stop at deep water areas which makes it difficult to load and unload goods, said Ko Kyaw Thet Naing, one of the boatmen.

 “Previously we could dock at a place suitable to drop off and pick up goods. Now, we have to stop near rocks if we don’t stop in deep water,” he said.

Boats from Ponnagyun, Mrauk-U and Pauktaw towns and nearby villages land at the Sittwe jetty near the market. Passengers may be people with health problems or pregnant women who come to the capital Sittwe for medical treatment as well as traders and travelers.

“We have to work as boatmen because we are not educated. So, we want the proper authorities to arrange for four or five additional jetties for small boats,” Ko Kyaw Thet Naing said.

There are about 200 row boats that rely on the market’s jetty and the number of boatmen is over 400. The boatmen now cannot land at the bank of the river to load or unload goods and other items which affects their business and disturbs their livelihood.