Officials said the test operations would continue for the next two to three days before a final schedule is announced
KRC TIMES NE Desk
Agartala : The cross-border bus service connecting Agartala, Dhaka and Kolkata is poised to resume regular operations after remaining suspended for over a year, with trial runs commencing on Saturday.
A bus under the Agartala-Dhaka-Kolkata route departed from the Krishnanagar depot in Agartala for Dhaka as part of the initial trial phase. Officials said the test operations would continue for the next two to three days before a final schedule is announced.
Manoranjan Debnath, Manager of the International Bus Service Operator, said that once the system stabilises, the service will run thrice a week. He clarified that no fresh permissions are required to resume operations, as the intergovernmental agreement between India and Bangladesh remains in force.
“We halted the bus service due to a sharp decline in passenger numbers and visa-related issues. The footfall had fallen to an all-time low. With the situation improving in Bangladesh, we are planning to resume regular services from next week,” Debnath said.
The Royal-Maitri international bus service had been suspended amid political unrest in Bangladesh, leading to disruptions in cross-border travel and trade.
Tripura Road Transport Corporation (TRTC) Vice-Chairman Samar Roy said the schedule for regular operations would be finalised and announced on February 28 after reviewing the outcome of the trial runs.
Welcoming the development, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed optimism that the restoration of connectivity would help ease recent strains in bilateral ties and boost economic engagement.
“The uncertainty is now over with the formation of an elected government in Bangladesh. This is a good sign for bilateral relations. We hope other pending issues will also be addressed,” Saha told reporters. He added that improved connectivity would strengthen trade prospects for both sides. “In fact, Bangladesh will benefit more from us in the future,” he said.
Meanwhile, sources indicated that the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala has resumed issuing visas in select cases. The mission had suspended all visa and consular services on December 23, 2025, citing “unavoidable circumstances”.
Officials expressed hope that the revival of the bus service would mark a fresh phase of cooperation and people-to-people contact between the two neighbouring countries.
