Dhaka, July 22: Moves to start the Agartala-Dhaka bus service next month is getting a fillip as a four-member delegation from Tripura will be holding discussions with Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) officials on the details of the service today.
The meeting will have detailed discussions on starting the service, fare and other concerned issues, sources said.
Meanwhile, media reports quoting communications ministry officials yesterday said the service will commence on August 9.

The Indian delegation will be led by D. Sarkar, commissioner and secretary transport, government of Tripura while the Bangladeshi side will be represented by BRTC chairman Taimur Alam Khandkar besides other officials.
The announcement to start the service "sometime in August" was made by foreign ministers of the countries during the just concluded joint economic commission meeting here. The agreement to start the service was signed between the countries in July 2001.



Since the two governments have agreed, sources said, the service will start within next few days even though some portion of the 182 kilometre route was not fit for inter-country journey.



The tentative fare is 12 US dollars and passengers will be entitled to carry 20 kg of luggage, sources said.



Agartala-Dhaka bus service is a follow up to the Dhaka-Kolkata bus service which was inaugurated in June 1999 by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.


Bureau Report