The Issue of Illegal Entry of "Kular" into Rakhine

News Article Translation

GAN | September 21, 2025

Original Text (photocrd)

The GAN is delighted to share an article written by Ramma Thant Phru on June 20, 1967, titled The Issue of Illegal Entry of "Kular" into Rakhine. This serves as evidence of post-colonial illegal immigration from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) into Arakan. Please read the English translation of the original text below.

The Issue of Illegal Entry of "Kular" into Rakhine

June 20, 1968

Recently, the Bo Ta Htaung newspaper reported on "Kular" (a controversial term used here for people from East Pakistan, now Bangladesh) illegally entering Rakhine via boats from Pakistan. On the first day, approximately 200 individuals entered, followed by 150 the next day, indicating a significant influx. These individuals cross by boat from Pakistan’s Shahpuri Island to villages like Maungni Pyin and Ye Chan Pyin, then proceed to Sittwe, where they blend in and evade detection. Some armed "Kular" rebels provide protection, and local "Kular" villagers warmly welcome, feed, and shelter them upon arrival.

The scale of illegal entry from Pakistan into Rakhine is substantial, with such large numbers arriving by challenging sea routes suggesting even greater numbers may enter via easier land routes. Myanmar shares a border with East Pakistan, separated by the Naf River, which is only about two miles wide at its broadest and narrows to just 20 feet at its source. Maungdaw, located on the Naf River’s bank, lies directly opposite East Pakistan, with a border post called "Taung Pyo" situated 30 miles away on a hill, hosting a health clinic, guesthouse, and immigration facilities. A small bridge connecting Taung Pyo to Pakistan once existed but is now dilapidated and unrepaired, with the border marked by a mango tree (Myanmar side) and a tamarind tree (Pakistan side).

This proximity facilitates easy movement, with an old British-era road connecting Taung Pyo to Maungdaw. "Kular" from Pakistan frequently enter Maungdaw for trade, bringing smuggled goods like Tibetan snow, powder, and cosmetics, and purchasing rice, betel nuts, and cloth in return. Surprisingly, authorities rarely intercept these activities, and some "Kular" settle in Maungdaw without registration. Instead of selling rice to the Myanmar government, they smuggle it to Pakistan for higher profits—rice sold locally for 600–700 kyat per 100 tins fetches double in Pakistani currency (equivalent to 1400 kyat) due to a 1:2 exchange rate set by smugglers.

Pakistani currency circulates in Maungdaw, and Myanmar currency is widely used in Pakistan, driven by rice scarcity in the latter. The "Kular" population in Maungdaw now outnumbers native Rakhine residents, with many lacking proper identification. Despite deportations, they return using various methods, often with complicity from Pakistani border guards who may even facilitate rice-smuggling boats. Post-Rakhine cyclone, "Kular" appear to target flood-affected areas like Kyat Yoe Island and Yae Island, raising concerns about their dominance over indigenous lands, necessitating stricter border control and action to prevent smuggling and illegal immigration to avoid potential interstate issues.