‘Cargo vessel carrying 1,600 tonnes of wheat from India sinks in B’desh river’

DHAKA: A light cargo vessel carrying 1,600 tonnes of wheat worth 66.4 million Taka from India sank completely in the Meghna river at the estuary of Bay of Bengal overnight, a day after officials said the freighter was badly damaged as it hit a shoal.

The vessel was heading towards Narayanganj river port on the outskirts of Dhaka to be delivered to a private flour mill after receiving the cargo from a bigger ship at the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port on Tuesday.

The accident came as importers, particularly those in Asia, were banking on wheat from India, the world’s second-biggest producer since exports from the Black Sea region plunged following Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine.