River transportation of goods containers has commercially begun for the first time in Bangladesh. MV Pangaon Success left Chittagong port for the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal at Dhaka’s Keraniganj around Monday noon, Chittagong Port Authority’s Secretary Syed Farhad Uddin told journalists.It would take at least 16 hours for the ship, carrying 20 goods-laden containers and 56 empty ones, to reach there, he said.
The port Secretary said containers would be brought back after being loaded with goods for export at Pangaon.
No containers were transported by river, although Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had, on Nov 7, inaugurated Pangaon terminal, as several loose ends were yet to be tied up.
Businesspersons in and around Dhaka will be able to use the river route even during shutdowns and blockades as an alternative to roads once the river route begins full-fledged operations. – bdnews24.com
