New inland waterway receives first cement consignment

The first export consignment of cement from Bangladesh to Tripura, in India, through the inland waterways has been completed. A Bangladeshi barge carrying 50t of cement reached Sonamura in the northeastern Indian state of Tripura two days after setting sail from Daudkandi.

The vessel, MV Premier, reached Sonamura after travelling 93km along the Meghna-Gomati river route.

The Protocol for Inland Water Trade and Transit (PIWTT) was signed between India and Bangladesh in 1972 to provide inland waterways connectivity between the two countries, particularly with the northeastern region of India and also to enhance bilateral trade. The scope of PIWTT was expanded by the signing of the second Addendum to PIWTT, in May 2020, with the inclusion of additional routes and ports of calls. The inclusion of 93km Sonamura-Daudkhandi stretch of Gomati river as a new route in the protocol is expected to improve the connectivity of Tripura and the adjoining northeast Indian states with Indian and Bangladeshi economic centres.

The Tripura chief minister said, "A new horizon opened for us today which is a historic day for Tripura because the state was for the first time connected with Bangladesh through a waterway."