On 13th February 2025, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Employment (MoICE) officially handed over the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Use of Inland Waterways for the Transportation of Bilateral Trade and Transit Cargoes between Bhutan and Bangladesh, along with the associated Standard Operating Procedure (SoP), to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MoIT).

The handover was done as the mandate of all transport is with the MoIT and handing over the MoU ensures that Inland waterways related matters with Bangladesh will now be taken up by the relevant competent agency thereby strengthening operational efficiency and fostering enhanced coordination in matters related to inland waterways—both at the domestic level and with external stakeholders.