The trial run of a new bus service between Dhaka and Guwahati via Shillong began yesterday to facilitate the movement of the people of the two neighbouring countries.
The trial run of the first bus on the route was ceremonially flagged off from the capital’s Kamalapur Bus Stand around 4:30pm.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader inaugurated the bus service.
Starting from Dhaka, the bus will run through Sylhet to Shillong in Meghalaya to Guwahati in Assam.
The total straight line distance between Dhaka and Guwahati is 309km. If a bus runs at a speed of 50km per hour, it will take around seven hours to reach Guwahati.
A bus service between Bangladesh and India was earlier launched in July 1999 connecting Dhaka and Kolkat.
Currently, two buses having a seating capacity for 40 run between Dhaka and Kolkata every day.
These are fully air-conditioned and super deluxe buses of international standards with the fare fixed at Tk1,500 per passenger for a round trip.
The bus service between Dhaka and Agartala started on September 22, 2003. An air-conditioned super deluxe bus having a seating capacity of 40 passengers runs on the route. Its fare was fixed at Tk600 (round trip).
Earlier, both the countries agreed to introduce bus services between Dhaka and Guwahati when Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made the proposal during her three-day visit to Dhaka in June last year.