The Jogighopa Inland Water Transport (IWT) Terminal in Bongaigaon district has commenced international commercial shipments via the Brahmaputra River, with consignments being transported to Bangladesh.
The terminal is currently handling tons of stone imported from neighbouring Bhutan, ready for onward shipment.
Under a trilateral agreement between India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, these consignments from Bhutan are brought overland to Jogighopa and then exported via vessels through the Brahmaputra River to Bangladesh.
The Jogighopa IWT Terminal was officially inaugurated on February 18 this year by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal under the Indian Inland Waterways Authority and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
The initiative allows for cost-effective riverine transport of goods from Bhutan to Bangladesh, positioning the Jogighopa terminal as a central hub for inland waterway trade.
However, concerns have emerged due to a decrease in the water level of the Brahmaputra, which has caused silting in several areas. Authorities are monitoring whether vessel operations can continue smoothly in the coming days amid the shrinking river levels.