Dhaka, Sep 01: The proposed bus service between Agartala and Dhaka is likely to begin operations in mid-September, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Morshed Khan said today. "The Dhaka-Agartala direct bus service is likely to begin operations from mid-September," The state-run Bangladesh Betar (Radio) said quoting Khan. India and Bangladesh had decided to start the bus service during the joint economic commission meeting here on July 15 and 16 which was attended by External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha. The service was expected to be launched in the first week of August. Earlier, Bangladesh Communications Minister Nazmul Huda also said the service would start from mid-September following signing of some agreements on details by communication ministers of the two countries.

Meanwhile, in the face of opposition from a section of political parties, Bangladesh government is seemed to have shelved for the time being the proposal for export of gas to India, media reports said today. An important meeting held yesterday by Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia to discuss problems in gas sector due to the gap between production and supply, did not dwell on gas export issue as thought earlier, the 'daily star' said quoting some ministers who attended the meeting.

Media reports for the past few days have been hinting that government was unlikely to take any pro-export policy at the moment as other than the opposition parties, some allies of the BNP-led four-party coalition are also not convinced about the rationale of export of gas to India.


Bureau Report