Steep import duties imposed by Bangladesh and tight administrative controls have crippled cross-border trade with Myanmar’s Arakan (Rakhine) State, leaving local merchants struggling despite a worsening regional economic crisis. "Is border trade happening? Despite ongoing security risks, local merchants note that increased patrols by the Arakan Army have somewhat reduced threats from militant groups like the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) along informal trade routes. In the 2022–2023 fiscal year—before the AA's offensive that captured multiple townships across Arakan State—annual border trade between Bangladesh and Arakan State totaled nearly $260 million. Local business owners are now calling on authorities on both sides of the border to establish a broader, more inclusive trade framework that accommodates independent traders.