Afghan traders expressed concerns over the existing restrictions in the banking system, saying that they have been facing problems in transactions abroad.

The traders said that they are obliged to send money through money exchangers, which have high costs.

“The banking problems or transactions of money through banks are some of the main reasons for economic challenges and the drop in national and international trade,” said Mabubullah Mohammadi, a trader.

“The traders can send their money abroad through money exchangers but now as the banks received the permission to do transfers, they charge more than the money exchangers,” said Zalmay Azimi, a trader.

But the Da Afghanistan Bank, the country’s central bank, said that the commercial banks can transfer the money of traders to abroad.

“Currently, all commercial banks can perform commercial transactions and the commercial banks are also a legitimate source of money,” said Hassibullah Noori, a spokesman for the Central Bank.

This comes as the Union of Money Exchangers of Sarai Shahzada said that traders have transferred more than $4 billion abroad to purchase commodities.

“A major part of money transaction is being conducted through money exchangers… the money exchangers are not facing any problem now,” said Abdul Rahman Zirak, a spokesman for the union.

According to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), Afghanistan imports more than $6 billion annually.