Rajshahi-India river route reopens after 58 years

The highly anticipated river trade route connecting Rajshahi and Murshidabad in India has been inaugurated after long 58 years, aiming to bolster trade and economic ties between the two countries.

State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury inaugurated the route at Sultanganj River Port under Godagari upazila in the district on Monday (February 12) in presence of Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Verma.

Distinguished guests attending the programme included Presidium Member of Bangladesh Awami League and Rajshahi City Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Omar Faruk Chowdhury, MP, and BIWTA Chairman Commodore Afir Ahmed Mostafa.

Muhammad Shah Alam, Sub Assistant Engineer of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), reported that the river port’s initial connection will be with the Maya Port of Murshidabad via the Padma River.

This development is part of the trade agreement between Bangladesh and India under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT), initially signed in 1972 and renewed on March 31, 2020.

Covering a distance of only 17 kilometers, the route will allow transportation of 200-300 tonnes of goods during the dry season, while monsoon conditions may pose challenges due to the strong river current. 

A small ship carrying two tonnes of cotton departed from Sultanpur port to Maya port on the day of the inauguration.