AGARTALA, June 6 (TIWN): India-Bangladesh observed historical moment on Saturday as Modi-Hasina flagged off Agartala-Dhaka-Kolkata bus service. Mamata Banerjee’s presence has brought a major embarrassment for the Tripura Left front govt. here, as the Chief Minister Manik Sarkar was not invited to attend the programme at Dhaka. Invitation to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has of course curtailed the so called ‘nationwide popular image’ of Manik Sarkar here in Tripura.Embarrassment after 22 years stint in power has left the state govt. here in dilemma. The service was flagged off on Saturday at 4:00 PM would link Kolkata with Agartala via Dhaka. But what makes the story interesting is that the exclusion of Manik Sarkar from the inaugural programme at Dhaka has left the Tripura-Bangla relation on backfoot.Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar was left out from the list of dignitaries to witness the Modi-Hasina joint flagging off event of the Kolkata- Dhaka- Agartala bus service on Saturday in Dhaka. The chief minister of the only left ruled state of the country was not invited to witness the event reportedly at the behest of West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Supremo Mamata Banerjee.

Following the ‘no invitation’ to Manik Sarkar,  several rumours could be heard among the common masses of the state. Even though a section of passengers who would be benefited by the direct bus service, but the exclusion of Tripura CM was disgraceful for Tripura.

Besides, according to the source the Agartala 19-seater mini air-conditioned bus had reached Dhaka on June 5 at around 8:50 PM carrying 8 members’ delegation from Agartala along with 4 media persons to attend the programme at Dhaka PMO office on Saturday.

The Agartala-Kolkata bus service via Bangladesh is expected to facilitate the people of the mountainous northeastern region to reach Kolkata and visit other Indian states, reducing the distance by over 1,000 km. The distance between Agartala and Kolkata via Guwahati by road is 1,650 km. But the distance between Agartala and Kolkata via Bangladesh is only around 500 km.

After the flag off WB government is expected to ply its bus for Agartala 4 days a week whereas the Tripura government would ply its bus for Kolkata two days a week. At present Tripura government does not have expensive air-conditioned buses to ply to Kolkata. As an alternative Tripura transport department at present would ply mini bus borrowing from the state urban department.

Besides, after the formal inauguration of the Tripura second border haat on Saturday by Modi-Hasina it would open from July 11 this year, which is expected to bring a great boon for the bi lateral relation between Tripura and Bangladesh. However, but ‘no invitation’ for Manik Sarkar has brought a major embarrassment for the govt. here in Tripura.