The long-suspended cross-border bus service connecting Agartala, Dhaka and Kolkata is poised for a full-fledged comeback, signalling the restoration of a key regional connectivity link after more than a year of disruption.
Trial operations for the route began on Saturday, Tripura Road Transport Corporation officials confirmed.
Tripura Road Transport Corporation vice-chairman Samar Roy said the outcome of multiple trial runs will determine the final operational schedule, which is expected to be announced on February 28.
The bus services had first been suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic and were later revived in mid-2022.
However, operations were again halted following a violent incident in Bangladesh involving a bus operated by a private agency.
Growing security concerns, including unrest in Bangladesh during mid-2024 and the political upheaval that followed the fall of the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina, further delayed resumption.
Officials now say the formation of a new government in Bangladesh and improved law-and-order conditions have created a conducive environment for restarting the service.
The Agartala–Dhaka–Kolkata and Agartala–Dhaka routes are considered critical transit corridors, offering faster and more efficient travel between Tripura and eastern India via Bangladeshi territory.
Sources also confirmed that the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala has resumed limited visa services in special cases, after a prolonged suspension of consular operations since December 2025.
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Security arrangements around the diplomatic mission have been significantly reinforced, with deployments from the Central Reserve Police Force and Tripura State Rifles to ensure safety and stability in the area, officials said.
Tripura, which shares an 856-kilometre international border with Bangladesh and is surrounded by it on three sides, sees constant cross-border movement for trade, travel and cultural exchange.
The Agartala-Akhaura Integrated Check Post remains one of the busiest trade gateways between the two nations, second only to the Petrapole-Benapole ICP.
With the revival of the bus service, authorities expect a major boost to passenger mobility, regional integration and economic activity, especially for travellers from the Northeast, for whom routes through Bangladesh offer a far more efficient alternative to the narrow Siliguri Corridor, often referred to as the “Chicken’s Neck”.
