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After a long wait, the Comilla-India Sonamura waterway has been launched for the first time across the Comilla-Bibirbazar border. On Saturday, a barge carrying 10 tons of cement went to Sonamura in India on the Gumti River.
Opening the route in the Bibirbazar land port area of Comilla at noon, the vessel was officially handed over to Indian officials by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA). This has opened the door for shipping from Bangladesh to India. However, due to the naval crisis on the Gumti River, the first shipment of cement was delayed for 4 hours and arrived in Sonamura, India.
According to BIWTA authorities, several measures have been taken to normalize the movement of ships at 12-14 points on the Gumti River by removing all obstacles on the river, including the elimination of the navigability crisis. When these works are completed, this route will be developed as a viable shipping hub.
92 km of Gumti waterways are known to have passed through Daudkandi, Titas, Muradnagar, Debidwar, Burichang, Brahmanpara and Adarsh Sadar upazilas from Comilla. Approximately 69.5 km are in Bangladesh and the other part is in the Tripura area of India.
On Saturday, a 10-ton shipment of cement was sent from Daudkandi to Tripura, India, on a trial basis. It is known that at the beginning, due to the low navigability of the river, the ship carrying cement got stuck at 12-14 points along the way due to the crisis of low navigability and the shallow and low-height bridge.
Although the inauguration was scheduled for 11 am, the first cement shipment arrived in Sonamura around 3 pm, about 4 hours later due to the navigability crisis.
Meanwhile, a floating jetty was built in Sonamura to receive shipments of goods exported by river from Bangladesh. The Chief Minister of Tripura, Biplob Kumar Dev, was present at the inaugural performance in the Sonamura area of India. Among others, Tripura MP Pratima Bhowmik, Industries Secretary Kiran Geeta, Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner for India Kriti Chakma, and others were present at the time.
BIWTA President Commodore Golam Sadeq opened the event by flying a balloon over the Bibirbazar land port area in Adarsh Sadar Upazila de Comilla in Bangladesh.
BIWTA Director Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, Deputy Commissioner. Abul Fazal Mir, Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) Azim ul Ahsan, Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar-A Circle) Tanvir Salehin Emon, OC of Kotwali Model Police Station Md. Anwarul Haque, General Secretary of Bibirbazar C&F Nirmal Association Pal and others.
Earlier, the High Commissioner of India, Riva Ganguly, arrived at the land port of Bibirbazar from Dhaka around 11 a.m. She later told reporters that an agreement on river trade between Bangladesh and India was signed in Dhaka last May. One is Rajshahi with Dhulian from India and the other is Sonamura from India from Daudkandi.
Today, in the first test, cement is exported from Bangladesh to India. This is a very historic event for us. Because most of the goods cross the border by truck. When it comes across water, fewer people come into contact with the covid. It is also good and affordable for the environment. Even during the Crown epidemic, communication projects between our two countries are going very well. It is absolutely true, today is a historic day for Tripura and Bangladesh.
He said that through this test, after identifying various difficulties in the river, regular activities will start later.
BIWTA President Commodore Golam Sadeq said: “Everything has been printed and activities have started on this route.” It is a great success. Through this test, we have been able to identify where the seaworthiness crisis is. Projects have already started for the dredging of the Gumti River. The Government of Tripura and the Government of India are very interested in this route. This will facilitate cross-border trade.
He said there is a navigability crisis at 12-14 points on the Gumti River. If you want to bring large ships, you must increase the depth of the river. There are also several low-rise bridges that need to be worked on. When these jobs are completed, it will become a viable shipping hub.
According to the Comilla office of the Special Tax and VAT Commission, the distance between the Bibirbazar land port and the Gomti river waterway is 200 meters. Through this land port, in fiscal year 2018-19, Bangladeshi goods were exported in the amount of 92 crore 47 lakh 42 lakhs and the proceeds of goods imported from India have been collected in the amount of 83 rupee lakh. Revenues will be further increased by importing and exporting goods by sea.
Kamal Uddin / MAS / MKH
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