Agartala: The Agartala–Kolkata bus service via Dhaka resumed on Tuesday after a suspension of over a year, with Tripura Transport and Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury receiving the incoming vehicle at the Akhaura Integrated Check Post (ICP) here.
The cross-border service, which connects Kolkata and Agartala through the Bangladesh capital, had remained suspended for nearly 15 months amid strained bilateral relations.
“The Kolkata–Dhaka–Agartala bus service has restarted after a gap of 15 months. The bus that began its journey from Kolkata reached Agartala today,” Chowdhhury told reporters at the ICP.
Referring to recent diplomatic engagements between the two countries, the minister said India had extended greetings to the newly elected leadership in Bangladesh and reiterated its commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.
“We share deep-rooted cultural and historical ties with Bangladesh. Though relations went through a challenging phase over the past year, normalcy is gradually returning. Restoration of connectivity will pave the way for enhanced trade and cultural exchanges,” he said.
Chowdhury noted that the disruption in services had affected several sectors in Tripura, including healthcare and tourism. According to him, a significant number of patients from Bangladesh had earlier travelled to the state for medical treatment, a flow that declined sharply during the suspension period.
“With transport links reopening, medical travel is expected to pick up again. This segment contributes substantially to the state’s economy,” he said.
The minister added that tourism had also been impacted by restrictions on cross-border movement.
“A considerable number of visitors to Tripura come from Bangladesh. Improved connectivity is likely to boost foreign tourist arrivals in the coming months,” he said.
He expressed hope that easing travel and visa-related barriers would further strengthen people-to-people ties and economic engagement between the two neighbouring countries.