- The trial run from Daudkandi in Bangladesh to Sonamura in Tripura started, as the MV Premier sailed from Daudkandi with 50 metric tonne of cement cargo.
- It arrive in Sonamura in Tripura after covering a distance of 93 kilometers through river Gumti.
- The route will connect Tripura with Bangladesh using the inland waterways for the first time.
- This is yet another recent connectivity initiative with Bangladesh, which will greatly enhance connectivity between Bangladesh and the North Eastern states of India boosting bilateral trade with Bangladesh.
- The opening of the new route follows the signing of the 2nd addendum to the Protocol for Inland Water Trade & Transit (PIWTT) in May 2020 which opened two new routes.
- The PIWTT was signed between India and Bangladesh in 1972 to connect the two countries through inland waterways.
- In 2019-2020, approx. 3.5 million MT of cargo was transported between India and Bangladesh on the protocol routes.
- Enhanced connectivity through inland waterways in the present Covid–19 scenario will provide an economical, faster, safer and cleaner mode of transportation for traders and business communities of both countries.
