Dibrugarh:A cargo barge carrying 540 metric tonnes of methanol embarked from the Bogibeel terminal on the Brahmaputra River in Assam's Dibrugarh, heading to Dhaka, Bangladesh. This marks the first cargo shipment from Upper Assam to an international port since India's independence in 1947.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the voyage signifies a revival of the historic river route from Dibrugarh, which had ceased operations almost seven decades ago. The Indian Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, officially flagged off the vessel during a ceremony that included several ministers, MPs, and MLAs. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma participated in the event virtually.
The methanol being transported was manufactured by Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. (APCL) at Namrup and is destined for Pangaon Port in Dhaka. The barge will initially navigate approximately 768 kilometers along National Waterway-2 on the Brahmaputra to reach the India-Bangladesh border, before continuing through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route. The entire journey will cover around 1,300 kilometers from Bogibeel in Dibrugarh to Narayanganj in Dhaka.
This voyage is considered a test of the Brahmaputra River's potential as a viable commercial freight corridor, connecting India's Northeast with international markets. Sonowal highlighted the significance of the event, noting that the river had been silent for 70 years due to a lack of initiative to revive it. He expressed optimism about Assam's product reaching international markets, positioning the Northeast as India's gateway to the East.
Historically, Dibrugarh was one of eastern India's key river ports, with government steamers reaching the town from Calcutta by 1856. The Dibru-Sadiya Railway began operations in 1882, and by 1913, steamers were regularly transporting tea, timber, and passengers along the Brahmaputra. However, the river route was disrupted by the Partition of 1947 and further affected by a 1950 earthquake. The Dibrugarh Ghat closed in 1956 as other transportation modes gained prominence.
The cargo operation is part of a broader effort to revitalize river transport in the region. After India and Bangladesh signed a river trade protocol in 1972, regular cargo operations on the Brahmaputra began in 2017. Recent expansions include Tata Steel barges and the MV Ganga Vilas cruise vessel navigating through Bangladesh.
The current voyage involved collaboration among the Inland Waterways Authority of India, Assam Petro-Chemicals, Cochin Bunkers Pvt. Ltd., and Bangladeshi partners.