Bangladesh, India planning to launch river cruise service

[bluesky]

Bangladesh, India planning to launch river cruise service
Senior Correspondent, bdnews24.com

Published: 2016-07-16 00:43:50.0 BdST Updated: 2016-07-16 00:58:26.0 BdST

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Bangladesh and India are planning to start the movement of passenger and cruise vessels on coastal shipping routes, the state minister for foreign affairs has said.

Md Shahriar Alam, speaking at a seminar at Meghalaya on Friday, said an MoU to that end was “in discussion”.

He said the signing of the coastal shipping had opened up new avenues of connectivity and trade facilitation.

“We are also looking at plying of passenger and cruise vessels in these protocol routes,” he said, also referring to the India-Bangladesh river protocols under which transshipment was taking place.

The state minister was speaking on the first day of the two-day Asian Confluence River Festival ‘Nadi 2016’ that began in state capital Shillong.

India’s railway minister, Bangladesh’s civil aviation and tourism minister and the chief ministers of Meghalaya and Mizoram were present, among others.

The Asian Confluence and the Government of Meghalaya are co-organising the event which is attended by the experts of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan.

Alam also stressed on basin-wide management of rivers for the prosperity of the South Asia region.

He said South Asia could take advantage of the trans-boundary rivers for inter-country means of riverine transport.

“In a limited way, it is already taking place,” he said. The Indo-Bangladesh Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT) has been operational since 1972.

The PIWTT was later amended and Ashugonj has been declared a “port of call” and “transshipment point” using which India is now transshipping goods to its north-eastern state Tripura.

This renewed PIWTT also kept a provision of doing third-country trade which, the state minister said, would “not only enhance intra-regional but also open up new opportunities of connectivity.”

“The MoU on Use of Chittagong and Mongla ports by India would further enhance connectivity not only bilaterally but also sub-regionally when Nepal and Bhutan would eventually be brought into the ambit,” he said.

 

[Bilal9]

Two things (help me understand),

• The first requirement of river shipping and cruises is good draught along navigable channels.
• Which flies in the face of Indian plans to halt and dam river flows into Bangladesh

 

[kobiraaz]

Many tourists enter or Exit Bangladesh through India. A river cruise from India to Bangladesh will be great and will attract a lot of tourists for sure.

 

[Kinetic]

Good for our countries.

Two things (help me understand),

• The first requirement of river shipping and cruises is good draught along navigable channels.
• Which flies in the face of Indian plans to halt and dam river flows into Bangladesh

No one can help you to understand till you think that anyone will always hurt you. Building dam is to save water not to make BD draught.

 

[kobiraaz]

Good for our countries.




No one can help you to understand till you think that anyone will always hurt you. Building dam is to save water not to make BD draught.

We only ask to follow internation treaties regarding shared rivers. Nothing else.

 

[bluesky]

Two things (help me understand),

• The first requirement of river shipping and cruises is good draught along navigable channels.
• Which flies in the face of Indian plans to halt and dam river flows into Bangladesh

I will talk here less about the comments you have made. However, I would say something about the cruise voyage. It is obvious that your statement is correct to the point. the Great DADAs will have to solve the problem of navigability that was created by their own mean shortsightedness.

This is a river cruise service and not a service like Maitree Express railway service. In the latter one each passenger is just for himself. He does not interact with others brfore they get down to Kolkata or Dhaka. Bus service is also similar to Maitree Express.

As far as I understand a cruise service is an excursion and entertainment service Rich passengers from the two countries as well as foreigners are supposed to use this service. This kinds of ships are fitted with private rooms with sleeping berths, lounge/lobby, shower rooms, small playrooms to play games like cards and ping pong, easy chairs outside their rooms to sit, watch outside and relax etc. etc.

The passengers will spend quite a few days in the luxury cruise and enjoy time with their nearest ones as well as with other passengers. There will be a lot of intermingling among the passengers. It is like an international gathering on board a ship but without a political agenda traveling in both sides of the Bengal border.

 

[Bilal9]

The news report says,

movement of passenger and cruise vessels on coastal shipping routes

So the Indian routes may also be coastal in addition to being riverine ('Nadi' being the confusing misnomer)...

i.e.

1. Chittagong-Kolkata
2. Chittagong-Vizag
3. Chittagong-Chennai
4. Chittagong-Andaman/Port Blair via Kolkata or direct

etc.

Being that Myanmar was included in the talks (and counting avg. 10 knots an hour),

Chittagong-Yangon (~ 475 miles or about 2 days cruise distance), may be in the offing as well.

But why leave out,

• Chittagong-Rayong (Thailand) ~ 900 miles or about 4 days cruise distance
• Chittagong-Langkawi (Malaysia) ~ 1200 miles or about 5 days cruise distance

From Bangladesh, I see cruises to Rayong, Langkawi and Yangon attracting the most interest.

This is Rayong,

And this is Langkawi,

 

[Desist]

• Which flies in the face of Indian plans to halt and dam river flows into Bangladesh

Plans to dam the river flowing to BD have been stopped on account of BD Govt's request. The existing dam's however will not be stopped.

All new dams build now are being built with a minimum water flow to be maintained to ensure navigability across the rivers of India. This removes problems for both BD as well as serves an economic purpose for India.

Ultimately, the goal is that goods from BD can ship to even South India all the way through river navigation and linking of rivers.

 

[bluesky]

Plans to dam the river flowing to BD have been stopped on account of BD Govt's request. The existing dam's however will not be stopped.

All new dams build now are being built with a minimum water flow to be maintained to ensure navigability across the rivers of India. This removes problems for both BD as well as serves an economic purpose for India.

Ultimately, the goal is that goods from BD can ship to even South India all the way through river navigation and linking of rivers.

How do you know about all those dam things. I have not seen any news in BD. You may send a link if you so wish. About goods going to south India it cannot be planned because India has built that Farakka Barrage in west Bengal. Where are the other viable river links if a cargo starts from Dhaka and wants to reach any point in the south India.

A coastal cargo voyage seems to me a more practical option. I know that coastal ships cannot move beyond a river mouth and enter the river from the confluence.

 

[Desist]

How do you know about all those dam things. I have not seen any news in BD. You may send a link if you so wish. About goods going to south India it cannot be planned because India has built that Farakka Barrage in west Bengal. Where are the other viable river links if a cargo starts from Dhaka and wants to reach any point in the south India.

A coastal cargo voyage seems to me a more practical option. I know that coastal ships cannot move beyond a river mouth and enter the river from the confluence.

I know because it has been published in news. Feel free to google.

It can be planned because India is planning to interconnect all rivers between North, South and East India for the sole purpose of cargo transportation. Already one link has been made operational and transfer of water started in Madhya Pradesh. though it is not deep enough for cargo.
Cargo is the ultimate goal.

 

[Nilgiri]

Many tourists enter or Exit Bangladesh through India. A river cruise from India to Bangladesh will be great and will attract a lot of tourists for sure.

What percentage enter Bangladesh through India and what percentage enter Bangladesh directly (Dhaka airport I guess)?

 

[kobiraaz]

What percentage enter Bangladesh through India and what percentage enter Bangladesh directly (Dhaka airport I guess)?

I don't know. However, Go to lonely planet you will find many of the tourists asking about landports between BD and India.

 

[Species]

Perhaps something in line with MV Flamingo, operating between Dhaka and Khulna??

 

[Nilgiri]

I don't know. However, Go to lonely planet you will find many of the tourists asking about landports between BD and India.

I think Bangladesh will benefit then with such service like you said. I think this concerns coastal routes for now rather than riverine routes....but still a welcome step for tourists visiting Eastern coast of India and naturally want to take a Sundarban + cox's bazaar extension cruise. Maybe even Myanmar can be added in for a Bay of Bengal theme cruise between 3 countries....and join it to Thailand and Sri Lanka even etc. Win win for all countries involved. With the forex earned, Bangladesh can improve its tourism infrastructure in coastal areas.

I would like Teesta to be solved frankly and fairly and a full water sharing treaty to be negotiated so we can get on with more cooperation in even more areas regarding water transport....for both tourism and commercial reasons.