World’s longest river cruise Ganga Vilas anchors at Mongla

Ganga Vilas, the longest river cruise in the world, which will connect the Indian town of Varanasi with Diburgarh town in Assam with nearly half of the journey through Bangladesh territory, has reached Mongla Port in Bagerhat.

On its arrival at the port today, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and India High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma welcomed the tourists, reports our Khulna correspondent.

In his welcome remarks, High Commissioner Pranay Verma said the Ganga Vikas River cruise is a historic development that demonstrates the power of rivers to connect the peoples of India and Bangladesh.

He hoped that the cruise would unlock the new potential for heritage and ecotourism in both India and Bangladesh, including the Sundarbans.

Yesterday, Sarbananda Sonowal, the cabinet minister of ports, shipping and waterways of India, tweeted, "Rejoicement across Borders! World's longest river cruise MV #GangaVilas enters Bangladesh to a warm welcome as it continues its majestic journey from Varanasi to Dibrugarh."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off Ganga Vilas from Varanasi on January 13.

The tourists will visit the UNESCO heritage site of the 60-domed mosque at Bagerhat.

The cruise will not only boost the river cruise tourism between India and Bangladesh but also provide a unique opportunity to study the natural diversity and rich culture of Bangladesh.