Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation

What Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation does

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) is a government-owned autonomous corporation under the Ministry of Shipping of Bangladesh, headquartered at 24 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Dhaka-1000. The corporation operates inland waterway transport infrastructure through three core service lines: ferry services (ro-ro and passenger ferries) across nine major river crossings including Paturia-Daulatdia, Aricha-Kazirhat, and Vola-Lakshmipur; inland passenger vessel/steamer services connecting Dhaka to destinations such as Chandpur; and coastal ship services on the Chittagong-Hatiya-Barisal corridor serving island communities. It employs approximately 1,500 seafarers out of Bangladesh's total inland waterway workforce of 1.5 lakh, alongside corporate, regional, and field personnel across headquarters plus regional offices in Chittagong and Barisal.

BIWTC's technology stack centers on maritime transport fleet management and river navigation infrastructure rather than software platforms. Operational technology includes ro-ro ferry fleets, coastal passenger vessels (e.g., MV Ivory Rahman, MV Tajuddin Ahmed), and the heritage paddle steamer PS Mahsud. Digital initiatives are limited to internal workflow tools: the Digital Store Management System (storebiwtc.com), the Digital Indent System (indent.tiara.com.bd) for procurement, an E-Filing system for document workflows, and the Rocket online reservation system for passenger tickets. A planned E-Ticketing System was tendered then cancelled in January 2026. The corporation's website and booking offices serve as the primary customer-facing channels rather than integrated digital platforms; no APIs, third-party integrations, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

BIWTC's revenue model is predominantly per-transaction fare-based and tightly regulated. Passenger fares range 40-150 BDT by class and route; small vehicles 30-660 BDT; cargo vehicles 500-9,360 BDT depending on tonnage and route; coastal vessel fares span 100-3,180 BDT across cabin tiers. Customer segments include cargo vehicle operators/logistics firms (primary), public commuters and bus operators (primary), coastal travelers and island residents (primary), and heritage tourism enthusiasts (secondary, via the PS Mahsud charter partnership with River and Green Tours). Marketing and GTM is direct-to-consumer at ferry ghats and booking offices. As a state-owned enterprise, BIWTC operates under government budget oversight with no private capital, no listed securities, and an appointed Chairman reporting to the Ministry of Shipping.

Name

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation

Legal name

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (বাংলাদেশ অভ্যন্তরীণ নৌ-পরিবহন করপোরেশন)

Website

https://biwtc.gov.bd

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) is a state-owned autonomous corporation under Bangladesh's Ministry of Shipping that operates ferry services across nine major river routes, inland passenger steamer services, and coastal shipping on the Chittagong-Hatiya-Barisal corridor, serving cargo operators, public commuters, bus companies, and coastal island communities across Bangladesh.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Inland Water Transport Services

NAICS

Inland Water Transportation (48321), Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTLAFAAAN

Ferry & Passenger Water Transport Operators

Transportation & Logistics/Passenger Transportation (Air, Rail, Bus, Taxi/Rideshare)/Commercial Airlines (Full-Service & Regional)

SECONDARYTHAIAJAF

Passenger Ro-Ro Ferries (Vehicle + Passenger)

Travel & Hospitality/Rail, Bus & Ground Passenger Transport/Passenger Ferries & Water Taxis

Keywords

• Inland water transport
• Ferry services
• Passenger vessel services
• Coastal shipping
• River transport services

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ferry Services Revenue: Revenue from ferry crossing services including cargo vehicles (trucks, covered vans, tank lorries), passenger buses/coaches, and small vehicles (cars, motorcycles, bicycles). Fares vary by vehicle type, weight category, and route.
2. Coastal Ship Services: Revenue from coastal passenger vessel services on Chittagong-Hatiya-Barisal route. Fares include VIP cabin, 1st class cabin, 2nd class chair, and economy deck classes.
3. Passenger Vessel Services: Revenue from inland passenger steamer services including heritage cruise services like PS Mahsud operated through charter arrangements.
4. Digital Services: Revenue from digital store management system and online services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) operates roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) ferry services across 9 major river routes in Bangladesh, inland passenger vessel/steamer services including heritage routes, and coastal passenger shipping between Chittagong, Hatiya, Sandwip, and Barisal. The corporation also provides cargo ferry crossings for trucks, buses, and small vehicles, and supports internal operations through digital platforms including a Digital Store and Digital Indent procurement system.

Product overview

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) operates a multi-service inland and coastal water transport network. Its core portfolio consists of ferry services (ro-ro ferries and passenger ferries) at major river crossings, inland passenger vessel/steamer services including heritage routes, and coastal ship services linking Chittagong-Hatiya-Barishal. These are complemented by digital service platforms — the BIWTC Digital Store, BIWTC Digital Indent, and an online job application portal — and a 2025 corporate documentary. A previously planned e-ticketing system was cancelled.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ferry Service
• Internal Passenger Vessel Service (Steamer Service) Inland passenger vessel/steamer services operating on Bangladesh's waterways, including the Dhaka-Modelganj Rocket Service and heritage cruise services such as the PS Mahsud paddle steamer chartered to River and Green Tours.
• Coastal Ship Service Coastal passenger vessel services connecting Chattogram, Hatiya, Sandwip, and Barisal along the Chittagong-Hatiya-Barishal route. Includes vessels such as MV Ivory Rahman and MV Tajuddin Ahmed with VIP cabin, 1st class cabin, 2nd class chair, and economy deck classes.
• BIWTC Digital Store Internal digital store platform hosted at storebiwtc.com, supporting BIWTC's digital procurement and store management processes.
• BIWTC Digital Indent Internal digital indent management system hosted at indent.tiara.com.bd for BIWTC's procurement and inventory processes.
• Online Job Application Portal Online job application portal for BIWTC career recruitment, accessible at biwtc.teletalk.com.bd.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with BUET's Team Black Pearl for ferry design innovation. BUET team won first place in International Student Design for Appliance Ferry Competition 2024-2025 organized by World Ferry Safety Association. BIWTC Chairman proposed involving the team in designing electric rope ferries for coastal operations and internship opportunities for future vessel design projects.
• World Ferry Safety Association (WFSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization that organized the International Student Design for Appliance Ferry Competition 2024-2025. Bangladesh's BUET team won first place in this global competition.
• Bangladesh Inland Masters Officers Association (BIMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association of inland water transport masters that co-organized the World Seafarer's Day celebration and BIWTC Award for Exceptional Bravery 2026 at BIWTC.
• River and Green ToursminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCharter company operating the heritage paddle steamer PS Mahsud as 'Heritage Cruise Service' for tourism. Provides day river cruises (Dhaka-Chandpur-Dhaka) and heritage river expeditions (Dhaka-Barishal-Dhaka) package tours.
• Ministry of Shipping (MOS)coreOthersParent ministry responsible for inland water transport policy and oversight of BIWTC operations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Staten Island Ferry: Government-operated passenger ferry service in New York City providing scheduled commuter crossings. Comparable to BIWTC as a publicly operated, high-frequency passenger ferry providing essential transport infrastructure between population centres.
• Star Ferries: Iconic passenger ferry operator in Hong Kong, historically government-owned and now operating harbour and island ferry routes. Directly comparable to BIWTC as a passenger ferry operator with heritage brand value serving densely populated waterways.
• Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac): Government-supported ferry operator serving Scotland's west coast and islands with passenger and vehicle ferry services. Comparable to BIWTC as a publicly backed ferry operator running mixed passenger and Ro-Ro vehicle services on essential transport routes.
• Sydney Ferries: Government-contracted passenger ferry network serving Sydney Harbour and surrounding waterways. Comparable to BIWTC as a publicly operated passenger ferry service connecting communities across waterways with multiple scheduled routes.
• Wightlink: UK ferry operator running passenger and vehicle ferry services between the Isle of Wight and mainland. Comparable to BIWTC as a passenger and Ro-Ro vehicle ferry operator serving island/coastal connectivity.
• Kerala State Water Transport Department: Government-operated ferry and passenger transport service across Kerala's backwaters and waterways in India. Closely comparable to BIWTC as a South Asian state-owned inland water transport operator providing scheduled passenger ferry services.
• Penang Ferry: Government-linked passenger ferry service in Penang, Malaysia connecting the island to the mainland. Comparable to BIWTC as a government-supported passenger ferry providing essential transport links to coastal/island communities.

Others

• Bangladesh Shipping Corporation: Sister state-owned enterprise of BIWTC under the Bangladesh Ministry of Shipping, operating ocean-going cargo vessels. Adjacent rather than direct peer since it operates in ocean freight rather than inland/coastal passenger and ferry services, but comparable as a state-owned Bangladesh shipping enterprise.

Broad incumbents

• BC Ferries: Major ferry operator on Canada's west coast providing passenger and vehicle services across coastal routes. Comparable as a large-scale scheduled ferry operator serving coastal/island communities, though BC Ferries is a broader, more commercially oriented operator than BIWTC.
• Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI): Statutory government body responsible for development and regulation of inland waterways in India. Comparable to BIWTC as a government authority overseeing inland water transport infrastructure, though IWAI is primarily a regulator and developer rather than operator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biwtc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation