Trial run of Dhaka-Guwahati bus service via Shillong starts

Bangladesh has flagged off the trial run of bus services between Dhaka and Guwahati via Shillong.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader launched the service at the BRTC bus depot on Friday.

A 26-seater BRTC bus left for Assam’s Guwahati with 22 government officials in the afternoon.

“We’ve decided to introduce bus services on this route to increase people-to-people contact,” Quader told reporters.

Last December, a trial run on the route from Guwahati identified rundown roads as a major obstacle.

Quader said the road condition was not good and that the hilly Shillong-Dauki-Tamabil road was full off turns and quite risky.

“The drivers must take great caution on this road. We’ve taken initiatives to provide necessary training to Bangladeshi drivers,” the minister added.

Also, the Dhaka-Guwahat route was narrow in width, Quader pointed out.

“Buses longer than 12 metres are not fit to run the route,” he said. “That’s why minibuses will run on this route and will carry up to 30 passengers each trip.

“The BRTC has finished preparations for this.”

The minister hoped the bus service would be formally flagged off during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expected visit next month.

He said an agreement and a protocol had to be signed between the two countries before the services were introduced.

“The paper work for the agreement and protocol will be done this month and we hope they will be signed during the Indian prime minister’s possible visit next month,” he added.

Quader said the both nations were positive about Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus service.

The minister said Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan have agreed in principle about road communication.

“Transport ministers of the four countries will meet in Bhutan on June 15 to sign an agreement on the matter,” Quader said.