AGARTALA, May 9 (TIWN): Agartala- Dhaka “Maitree” Bus Service shuts down again due to the negligence of the Tripura Road transport and Corporation Department. However, Bangladeshi bus ‘Shyamoli’ shuttles on the route according to its schedule. ’Maitree’ used to ply from Agartala to Dhaka on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while ‘Shyamoli’ shuttled the other days in a week, except Sundays.

Transport between India and Bangladesh bears much historical and political significance for both countries, which possessed no ground transport links for 43 years, starting with the partition of Bengal and India in 1947. The Kolkata–Dhaka Bus (1999) and the Dhaka–Agartala Bus (2001) are the primary road links between the two countries; a direct Kolkata-Agartala bus service running through Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh is being developed by both countries, according to the sources. 

Due to the shutting down of Maitree bus service, passengers of Tripura are facing crucial problem as the air ticket fare in the Agartala-­ Kolkata route is sky rocketing every day. The passengers are getting enraged after facing the acute air ticket crisis, black marketing of travel agencies and foul ticket fares. In the mean time, Spice Jet had also withdrawn one flight from Agartala- Kolkata route.  Tripura being surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides, people have no other quick alternative but to avail this route.

The State Government of Tripura also demanded that the Ministry of External Affairs take up with Bangladesh for introducing a direct bus service between Agartala and Kolkata via Dhaka.

The proposal for direct bus service was nearly finalized in 2010 with the Central government and Govt. of Bangladesh initially agreeing for protocol of the service including plans for stoppage, frequency and time-table, but the process did not meet the conclusion due to some unknown reasons.