Historic Brahmaputra Trade Route Revived As 540-Tonne Methanol Cargo Sails From Dibrugarh To Bangladesh
Guwahati, Oct 5: A 540-tonne consignment of methanol from Assam’s Namrup has set sail from Bogibeel in Dibrugarh for Bangladesh, marking the first cargo movement from upper Assam to a foreign port since Independence and reviving a river trade route that fell silent nearly seven decades ago. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the vessel DLB Patkai,…
On October 5, 2026, a 540-tonne shipment of methanol from Assam's Namrup embarked on a journey from Bogibeel in Dibrugarh to Bangladesh, reviving a historic river trade route that fell dormant nearly seven decades ago. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the vessel DLB Patkai, accompanied by tug Kushal Konwar, from the Bogibeel terminal.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the ceremony virtually. The cargo, produced by Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd (APCL) at Namrup, is destined for Pangaon Port in Dhaka. The methanol will travel around 1,300 km, navigating nearly 768 km along National Waterway-2 on the Brahmaputra before entering the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route and proceeding to Narayanganj and Dhaka.
Union Minister Sonowal emphasized that this voyage marked a historic moment, stating that the sound of steamers had vanished from Dibrugarh decades ago, and the river had remained silent for 70 years. He expressed hope that with the revival of river trade, Assam's youth would dream of connecting with the world, as the Northeast is now India's gateway to the East.
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