Water connectivity agreement signed between India-Bangladesh

Guwahati, October 26, 2018:

For enhancing inland and coastal waterways connectivity between the two countries, India and Bangladesh on Thursday signed three agreements.

The two countries have signed an agreement to use Chattogram and Mongla Ports in Bangladesh for movement of goods to and from India. A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has also been signed for movement of passenger and cruise services. Alsoboth the countries signed an addendum to Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT) between for inclusion of Dhubri in Indis and Pangaon in Bangladesh as new ports of call.

During the talks headed by Shipping Secretary Gopal Krishna and his Bangladesh counterpart Md. Abdus Samad, the two sides also finalised the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for movement of passengers and cruise vessels on inland protocol route and coastal shipping routes which would enable river cruise services between Kolkata-Dhaka-Guwahati-Jorhat and back.

Both India and Bangladesh has agreed to include Rupnarayan river (National Waterway-86) from Geonkhali to Kolaghat in the protocol route and to declare Kolaghat in West Bengal and Chilmari in Bangladesh as new ports of call.

Krishna said that both the countries has arrived at an agreement to open a new route to land-locked Tripura by making Gomti and Haora rivers navigable for which dredging would be required in 20 kms on Indian side and 75-80 kms in Bangladesh side.