A vessel owner in Bangladesh is seeking to run a 10-day cruise from Dhaka to Kolkata.
Md Masum Khan, owner of vessel MV Rajarhat C, has applied with Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) to set sail from Sadarghat on October 10 for Howrah.
Already over 300 people have sought to book packages of prices ranging from Tk 6,000 to Tk 50,000 for the one-way tour, he told The Daily Star, adding that any type of Indian visa would work.
It will take 45 hours to traverse river and coastal routes to reach Howrah. The vessel will stay there for three days allowing tourists to go around Kolkata, he said.
The vessel will also anchor at different places, allowing travellers to explore diverse landscapes, villages and rural lifestyles, historical and archaeological sites, and ancient temples.
They can also experience cultures and cuisines of both countries, he said.
Rivers have an immense cultural and historical significance for both countries, for which this cruise will be an enriching experience, believes Khan.
If this trip can be run successfully, the cruise will be regularly operated, he said.
A similar cruise has already been run from India, flagged off by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 13 this year.
Operated by Antara Cruises, MV Ganga Vilas travelled around 3,200km through five states in India and parts of Bangladesh over 51 days.
It was under a “Standard Operating Procedure” finalised by the shipping ministries of the two countries in October 2018 on the movement of vessels along designated coastal and inland routes of the two neighbours.
The BIWTA is yet to approve the cruise, said Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa, chairman of the BIWTA.
“We receive an application…we have enough time at hand to give approval,” he noted.
