First-ever Indo-Bangladesh cruise ship starts its voyage on Brahmaputra

The first Indo-Bangladesh river cruise recently set sail on the Brahmaputra on its first ever journey to Kolkata via Bangladesh. Earlier, India and Bangladesh agreed to explore cruise options between Kolkata and Guwahati via Dhaka, which lead to a successful trial movement of cargo through the route, thereby prompting cruise operators to start operations on the said route.

MV Mahabaahu, the cruise ship, recently left the Pandu port carrying 30 passengers on board, along with 9 foreigners, for a 17-day voyage. Some of the prominent pit stops of this cruise ship are three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Manas National Park in Assam, Mosque City of Bagerhat in Bangladesh, and the Sundarbans among others.
Neena Morada, who is the cruise director of MV Mahabaahu, said that those opting for this voyage will enjoy the trans-boundary landscape of lower Assam, Bangladesh and southern part of West Bengal. She further said that their effort is to provide tourists the opportunity to experience offbeat travel by sailing through the lush landscape, and enjoy the locations differently.
The director further mentioned that along with the cruise journey, travellers can also enjoy elephant and jeep safari inside the Manas National Park in Assam, which is home to more than 55 mammals and around 420 species of birds, Royal Bengal tiger, capped langur, wild water buffaloes, hoolock gibbons, and many more. Also, during the 1250 km journey, tourists will get the option to experience the beauty of Sunderbans, the largest mangrove in the world.