Indo-Bangla cruise to start Friday

With a view to exploring a new horizon of tourism, Bangladesh and India are set to launch a cruise service on Friday that would take passengers through the Sunderbans to Dhaka.

After the inception of about 70 years, the two neighboring countries took the initiative to strengthen waterway routes on Dhaka-Kolkata-Dhaka route, said a press release.

BIWTC’s vessel “MV Madhumoti” is scheduled to sail from the VIP terminal at Pagla Ghat at 7pm carrying Kolkata-bound passengers,

Bangladesh and India are going to start the waterway service for the tourists and cruise service under the agreement of Naval Protocol, said the release.

On the same day, ship “Masers RV Bengal Ganga” will start from Kolkata towards Dhaka.

In order to make the maiden cross border cruise service historical, an inaugural ceremony will be held at Pagla VIP Ghat Mary Anderson, Narayanganj. Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, home minister, will inaugurate the event as the chief guest.

Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, state minister for Shipping Ministry, and Md Mahbub Ali, state minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, will present as special guest.

Modhumoti cruise is expected to reach Kolkata at 12 noon of March 31, roaming Barishal-Mongla-Sundarbans-Antyhara of Khulna and Holdia route of India.

Earlier, the shipping ministries of both countries finalized the Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for movement of passenger and cruise vessels on the coastal and designated inland routes between the two neighbouring countries.