Inland Water Transport is generally accepted as the most efficient mode of transportation from the point of energy Consumption, Lower cost of transportation and environment friendliness. The North Eastern region through which the Brahmaputra flows, has a considerable demand for essential commodities which have to move into the region from the rest of the Country and similarly local products have to move outside the region. Thus, there is a need for developing supplementary mode of transport besides “Roads and Railways”. 

The stretch on the river Brahmaputra between Sadia and Dhubri (up to Bangladesh border) has been declared as National Water Way No- 2 in the year 1988 and afterwards, the proposals to active the commercial service have been moved for overall economical development of North Eastern Region .

In pursuance of Article (viii) of the Trade Agreement, both Government agreed to make mutually beneficial arrangements for the use of their water ways to commence between two passage of goods between two places in one Country through the territory of the other in accordance with the Laws of the country through the territory of which goods are moving.

Under this protocol, initially 4(four) ports of call in each country have been nominated as follows :

 In addition, the new routes “Ashuganj” and “Silghat” shall be added as new “Ports of call” and be deemed to be incorporated at the end of Article II of the protocol in the following manner.

The transit route through Bangladesh and the inter-Country trade routes have greater scope for increasing Inland Water Transport Cargo movement which encourage the economical development of North Pastern Region.

In the year 1974, the Directorate of IWT. Assam introduced the commercial cargo services for carrying goods for Assam to other neighboring states as per agreement.

The Inland Water Transport . Assam has so far transported different type of cargos including ODC machineries by its vessels through water ways and earned good amount of revenue for the state