AGARTALA, June 2 (TIWN): Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus arrived here on Tuesday as part of the trial run carrying the officials of West Bengal Government and Bangladesh Government officials. The 45-seated air-conditioned Volvo bus alongwith Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) Shyamali bus first arrived at Agartala Akhaura Check Post and later the two arrived at Agartala International Bus Terminus of Tripura Road Transport Corporation (TRTC). Bus will return from Agartala on June 3 morning and reach Kolkata on the same day. The total travel time is around of 14 to 16 hours including formalities at the immigration centers. Carrying 5 members’ delegation from West Bengal and 7 members’ delegation from Bangladesh the two buses arrived here on June 2. The 5 members from West Bengal comprised of Alapan Bandyopadhyay, IAS, Principal Secretary, Transport Department (West Bengal), Akhil Roy, IPS, IG (IB-Border) Intelligence Branch, West Bengal, Ajoy Kumar Ghosh, WBCS (Exe.), OSD and Ex-Officio Deputy secretary along with others. The 7 members delegation from Bangladesh comprises of Abdur Rouf Khan, Joint Secretary, Road Transport and Highway Division (Bangladesh), Munshi Iqbal Hossain, Director (Finance and Accounts), Joint Secretary, BRTC, A K M Mofizul Haque, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Shipping, along with other delegations. However, on behalf of the Govt. of Tripura DM (West) along with AMC Mayor Dr. Prafullajit Sinha and others remained present at Akhaura Check post to receive delegations who arrived here by the Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala trial run bus. The bus arrived here at 1:00 PM at Akhaura Check Post and later it reached at TRTC at around 1:30 PM, where a simple ceremonial programme was held. Talking to the reporters at Akhaura CheckPost after arrival, Alapan Bandyopadhyay, Principal Secretary, Transport Department (West Bengal) said, “The direct bus service between the two states via Bangladesh Dhaka would further strengthen further the Indo-Bangla relations.”

He also said, “The official delegation team carrying the Bangladesh delegations started from Dhaka on dawn hours and reached here at Agartala.”

“After the agreement is signed between India Govt. and Bangladesh Govt. in presence of the West Bengal Chief Minister the direct bus service between Kolkata and Agartala via Dhaka would be kicked off to facilitate the passengers in a broader way,” Bandyopadhyay said to the reporters. He also said, “A tri-pirate meeting would be held to decide the fare charge of the bus.”

The delegations from the West Bengal and Bangladesh along with the state govt. officials went to Agartala State Guest House. A tri-pirate meeting is being arranged there where the officials would take up certain issues related to the direct bus service from Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala and Agartala-Dhaka-Kolkata.  

Besides, state Power Minister Manik Dey earlier said, “Govt. of India had also green signalled Tripura Govt. to start the trial run from Agartala to Kolkata. Following which Tripura govt. would ply a TRTC bus on June 3.

Dey said the state government has been demanding direct bus services between Tripura and other northeastern states and Kolkata through Bangladesh for a long time for easy movement of people from the region.

Transportation via Bangladesh is much easier as road connectivity is a big factor for the mountainous northeastern states which share boundaries with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and China.