Dhaka-Kolkata Cruise will now set sail on Nov 20

Oct 23, 2023 India Shipping News

DHAKA : MK Shipping Lines is planning to operate a cruise from Dhaka’s Sadarghat to Howrah of Kolkata, cruise starting off on November 20.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is set to approve operation of the cruise, said Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa, Chairman of the BIWTA.

Earlier, the operator was scheduled to set sail on October 10.

The date had to change as they did not get government permission in due time while the shipping ministry also took time to review the viability of the application alongside security matters, said Mostafa.

Masum Khan, owner of MK Shipping Lines, confirmed to The Daily Star that they would set sail as per the scheduled as they were due to get the BIWTA approval.

“We have a capacity to accommodate 300 to 350 people and prices of packages range from Tk 6,000 to Tk 50,000 for a one-way tour.”

According to sources in the BIWTA, a “Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade between Bangladesh and India” was signed in 1972 to expand bilateral trade by sea.

On October 25, 2018, a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was signed on being finalised by the shipping ministries of the two countries over the movement of vessels along designated coastal and inland routes of the two neighbours.

On March 29, 2019, one “MV Madhumati” had set sail from Dhaka for Kolkata with tourists under the protocol. But it was not deemed profitable and no further trips were run.

A similar cruise was run under the SOP from India, flagged off by Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on January 13 this year.

Operated by Antara Cruises, MV Ganga Vilas travelled around 3,200km through five states in India and parts of Bangladesh over 51 days.

“We have a capacity to accommodate 300 to 350 people and prices of packages range from Tk 6,000 to Tk 50,000 for a one-way tour,” Masum Khan said.

He said any Indian visa would be acceptable for this tour.

Khan said it would take around two days to traverse river and coastal routes to reach Howrah. The vessel will stay there for three days allowing tourists to go sightseeing in Kolkata, he said.

Khan said the cruise ship would also anchor at different spots, allowing travellers to explore diverse landscapes, villages and rural lifestyles, historical and archaeological sites, and ancient mosques and temples.

The tourists can also experience cultures and cuisines of both countries, he said.

Rivers have an immense cultural and historical significance for both countries, for which this cruise will be an enriching experience, believes Khan.

If this trip can be run successfully, the cruise will be regularly operated, he said.

According to sources in the BIWTA, a “Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade between Bangladesh and India” was signed in 1972 to expand bilateral trade by sea.

On October 25, 2018, a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was signed on being finalised by the shipping ministries of the two countries over the movement of vessels along designated coastal and inland routes of the two neighbours.

The BIWTA chairman told The Daily Star that an inter-ministerial meeting was held at the shipping ministry on September 13, chaired by Shipping Secretary Mostafa Kamal, to launch the Dhaka-Kolkata tourist ship.

“We received the meeting minutes where positive comments have come to us and on the basis of the decision, we are cooperating with them to resume the river cruise,” he noted.

He also said the shipping ministry has given the green signal to operate the cruise.

However, Mostafa said the operators would have to follow some procedures, including those involving visas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and permissions from India.