AGARTALA, April 22 (TIWN): The International bus service between Agartala and Kolkata via Dhaka which was hit by the political turmoil in Bangladesh has became normal again, said an ICP source.

Earlier, both Tripura Road Transport Corporation (TRTC) and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) stopped plying daily passenger buses for safety reasons, the source added.

For the last one and half month the Agartala bus has been stopped plying to Bangladesh due to the political unrest in Bangladesh.  But finally the International bus service between Agartala and Kolkata via Dhaka became normal again, the source informed.

The bus service was launched in September 2003 in view of rising demand from people of the state as it reduced the distance from Agartala to Kolkata. While one has to travel 1,700 km to reach Kolkata by bus and train routes via the Chicken Neck point, the distance is reduced to 530 km via Dhaka in bus. 

“The trade activities at Akhaura border in Agartala and three other border points in Tripura almost collapsed due to relentless violence in Bangladesh. Exporters and importers are incurring huge loss”, the source said.

State’s trade and commerce minister Tapan Chakraborty had earlier spoke on encouraging export and import trade in Tripura sector. Current annul trade volume touched Rs 300 crores which was mere few crores two decades ago, he stated.

Besides trade, travellers from both countries are facing a tough situation duo to the unrest. “Many passengers are really not wanting to travel as bust service from both end came to a standstill”, the source added.

It is to be mentioned here that a TRTC bus carrying passengers was put on fire at Narshindi near Dhaka in September 2012 when it reached to a point of local demonstration. None was hurt, but the blaze completely destroyed the vehicle.