Pran, a leading business group, on Tuesday exported the first ever consignment of food products to India using inland waterways under the protocol on inland transit and trade, marking the golden jubilee of independence of Bangladesh.
PRAN Group, Bangladesh’s leading food processor, is taking the opportunity to be the part of the history to become the first exporter of food items through waterways.
A Bangladeshi barge carrying PRAN’s food products left for Kolkata after sailing from PRAN Industrial Park at Palash in Narsigndi.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury inaugurated the programme as chief guest on Tuesday on the park premises.
The vessel with 40000 cartons of PRAN Litchi Drink, has started its journey from the PRAN Industrial Park which will reach Kolkata after completing around 710 km river route journey.
The opportunity of export using waterways will ease pressure on the road and will increase the export of Bangladeshi products in India.
Addressing the programme, State Minister for Shipping said that the inauguration of export through waterways is not only the matter of pride to Bangladeshis, but also for all Bengali people who are living around the world.
“The Prime Minister gives us the direction to enhance trade using waterways”, he said.
“It is matter of pleasure that we have become the part of history by exporting of food items through waterways,” Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, Chairman and CEO at PRAN-RFL Group said.Anwarul Ashraf Khan, MP, Commerce Secretary Dr. Md. Jafar Uddin, Shipping Secretary Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, and Director at BIWTA Mohammad Rafiqul Islam were present on the occasion.
