Coal transport from Guwahati's Pandu port to Sirajganj port to commence thru' inland waterways

Cargo transport from India's eastern and north-east region to Bangladesh is going to commence through inland waterways as coal transport is likely to start soon, reports The Economic Times.

The coal movement will be undertaken from India's Pandu port to Bangladesh's Sirajganj port along the River Jamuna, says the report.

Through this route, coal stocks from mines in Meghalaya will be transported to several buyers in Bangladesh on a "free-on board" basis via barges operated by private logistics operators. 

"The coal transport will commence shortly, currently we are looking into the custom formalities of the voyage to be undertaken," the ET quoted Mukul Jain, assistant director of the Inland Waterways Authority of India. 

Meanwhile, welcoming the development in the Indian side, Md Rofiqul Islam, director (Marine Safety and Traffic Management) of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), said under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT), Bangladesh currently has trade on five inland waterways routes and the Pandu Port in Guahati-Sirajganj port route is one of them. 

"Currently, we do receive hard stone-chips barges from Dhubri inland waterway of Assam to Chilmari River Port. If coal is transported through this route, both countries will be benefited," he added.

Besides the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade, Bangladesh has several inland waterways connectivity with India under different agreements and guidelines. 

Apart from electricity production, coal is used as the primary energy at brick kilns, cement and tea factories and annual demand for coal in the country for these sectors is around five million tonnes.

A large portion of the total demand is being met through imports from Indonesia, South Africa, Australia. A little part is being sourced from India through Haluaghat Land Port, Sylhet Border point and Hili Land Port, said officials of the Bangladesh Coal Importers' Association. 

Syed Md Atiqul Hassan, president of the association, told The Business Standard that too much could not be imported even if the coal is available and the exporters get required approval just because of the draft of the river. 

"Only the rainy season would be the best time for importing Indian coal," he said. 

Inland waterways are considered the cleanest and cheapest mode for cargo transport compared to railways and roadways. 

In the last few years, the river waterway system between India and Bangladesh has renewed focus in order to enhance cargo transport between north east India and the rest of the country via Bangladesh. 

Rofiqul Islam said discussions are on to open two more inland waterways with India from Rajshahi and Daudkandi of Comilla.