BIWTC expands fleet with two new ships before Eid

Each vessel can carry 764 passengers and 44 crew members

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) has inducted two new vessels into its fleet ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

The state-owned company added to its fleet the “MV Sugandha” and “MV Rupsa” to boost passenger-handling capacity before the holiday rush.

Built by domestic shipbuilder New Western Marine Shipbuilders Limited at a combined cost of Tk 677 million, the vessels were formally handed over to the BIWTC on Sunday.

According to a media statement released by the shipbuilding company on Monday, these are “the largest passenger vessels currently in the country”.

Each ship is designed to accommodate 764 passengers and a 44-member crew.

The vessels each feature a range of seating and lodging options, including four VIP cabins, 27 first-class cabins and 15 second-class cabins, the statement said.

Each ship also has second-class chair seating for 90 passengers and general deck space for 582 passengers.

The vessels are expected to operate on the Dhaka-Barishal-Khulna river route, reaching a maximum speed of 12 knots.

New Western Marine Shipbuilders Limited Managing Director Sohail Hasan hoped the vessels will significantly help manage the surge of homebound passengers during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.