Waterways are becoming more popular than roads for export trade between Bangladesh and India. The amount of trade between the two countries is increasing every year. And the share of Bangladeshi ships in transporting these goods is more. In the fiscal year 2020-21, 92% of the ships used for shipping goods between the two countries are Bangladeshi. The remaining 8% of the goods were transported by Indian ships. Earlier, only raw materials for cement were imported by sea. But now rice, wheat, maize, stone, and other products are also being imported. Due to this the amount transportation of goods has increased. This is according to a report given by the Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) at a recent meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Shipping.
The report given to the parliamentary committee highlights the import-export data of the last five years. According to the information provided by the Inland Shipping Authority, the amount of import-export between the two countries in the 2016-17 fiscal year was more than 26 lacs and 24 thousand tonnes. In contrast to 3,011 ships in Bangladesh, only 29 Indian ships were used to transport these goods. As such, 99% of the goods transported that year were on Bangladeshi ships.
In the next fiscal year i.e. 2017-18, the amount of import-export was more than 27 lac tonnes. 3,300 Bangladeshi ships were used to transport these goods. On the other hand, 86 Indian ships were used. In that year too, 98% of the ships used for transporting goods were Bangladeshi.
In the 2018-19 fiscal year, 95% or 2,685 ships of Bangladesh have been used for import and export of more than 24 lac tonnes of goods. In contrast, 59 Indian ships were used. In the next fiscal year, the import-export amount was more than 27 lacs and 80 thousand tonnes. In that year, 96% or 3,192 Bangladeshi ships carried goods. In contrast, 70 Indian ships were used.
In the last fiscal year 2020-21, the import-export volume of the two countries by sea was more than 39 lacs and 59 thousand tonnes. 3,913 ships of Bangladesh were used for transportation of these goods, which is 92%. In contrast, 226 Indian ships have been used.
According to the report submitted to the parliamentary committee, the Protocol for Inland Water Trade & Transit (PIWTT) has been in effect between Bangladesh and India since 1972 for trade by sea. Until 2000, goods could only be transported by Indian ships. After 2000, Bangladeshi ships were also involved in this work.
