Dibrugarh launches first international cargo shipment to Bangladesh since independence

The first international cargo shipment from upper Assam since India's independence was flagged off from the Bogibeel Terminal in Dibrugarh on Monday. The vessel, named ‘DLB Patkai’, is carrying 540 metric tonnes of methanol produced by state-owned Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited (APCL) at Namrup to Pangaon Port in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The shipment marks a significant revival of river trade in the region, which had largely ceased operations nearly 70 years ago. The vessel will travel approximately 768 km along National Waterway-2 on the Brahmaputra River before proceeding via the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR), covering a total distance of roughly 1,300 km to reach Narayanganj.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the event as a milestone for regional connectivity. The initiative aims to test the Brahmaputra as a commercially viable freight corridor, offering a greener and more cost-effective alternative to road transport for the Northeast.

Recent infrastructure developments, including the establishment of customs and immigration complexes at Bogibeel and Dhubri, have facilitated this international trade link. Authorities indicated that regular methanol shipments to Bangladesh are planned for the future.