Guwahati, Nov. 22: Bangladesh has requested India to utilise the protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade for operating cruise services and transporting passengers in addition to cargo.

Officials believe that the move by Bangladesh at the last meeting of the Standing Committee under Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade in New Delhi last month, will give a big boost to river cruise facilities in the region.

The Centre’s draft cruise policy has stated that concerted efforts will be made to include passenger/tourist traffic under Indo-Bangladesh Protocol and sources said both countries are eager to begin a dialogue. The objective of the policy is to promote river cruise activities on inland waterways of the country by providing policy support and fiscal incentives for infrastructure and fleet augmentation (of inland tourism vessels) in a sustainable manner.

“Both the countries are keen enough to start the dialogue and the issue was discussed recently at a meeting. A fresh proposal is on the cards from Bangladesh,” an official of Inland Waterways Authority of India said.

He said for the movement of tourists, the present Indo-Bangladesh protocol on inland water transit and trade would have to be amended as it currently allows only cargo. The present protocol ends on 2011.

Not only Delhi and Dhaka, even the Asian Development Bank believes that both countries can jointly lead a project aimed at overcoming the barriers to tourism.

The ADB under the South Asia Tourism Infrastructure Development Project wanted to support the Brahmaputra River Cruise sub-circuit as there are good opportunities to link up the Indian and Bangladesh river trips.