DHAKA: Pran-RFL Group on Tuesday commenced the export of food products to India using the inland waterway for the first time in the country.

A barge laden with 40,000 cartons of PRAN Litchi Drink, started its journey from the PRAN Industrial Park at Palash in Narsingdi on the day.

It is scheduled to reach Kolkata in eight days after crossing around 710 kilometres on the inland waterway, Pran officials said. It takes 40 trucks to export the same amount of product through the land port, they said.

The new route will reduce export costs by 35 per cent compared to cost incurred through land ports, they said.

State minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury as the chief guest inaugurated a programme organised to commence export of consignments through inland waterways at the park premises recently.

Khalid said that the inauguration of export through waterways was a matter of pride to Bangladeshis.

He said that the ministry was working to increase the number of river routes and to restore the navigability of the rivers.

‘We hope, many companies will be formed in our country like PRAN-RFL group and the country’s economy will move forward,’ he said.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority chairman Commodore Golam Sadeq said that export through waterways with India under the Inland Water Transit and Trade mainly depended on fly ash transport.

‘If we are able to export various products using waterways, it will play an important role in increasing business and enhancing mutual relation between the two countries,’ he said.