The trial run of a new bus service between Dhaka and Guwahati via Shillong began on Friday in a bid 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 Kamlapur Bus Stand around 4:30pm.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader inaugurated the bus service.
Starting from Dhaka, bus would run through Sylhet to Shillong in Meghalaya to Guwahati in Assam.
The total straight line distance between Dhaka and Guwahati is 309km (kilometre). If a bus runs at the speed of 50km per hour, it will take around 7 hours to reach Guwahati.
Dhaka-Kolkata bus service started in July, 1999.
Currently, two buses having seating capacity for 40 are running between Dhaka and Kolkata every day. These are fully air-conditioned and super deluxe buses of international standards.
The bus service between Dhaka and Agartala started on September 22 in 2003. An air-conditioned super deluxe bus having seating capacity for 40 passengers runs on the route.
Earlier, both the countries agreed to introduce bus service 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.
Sushma who visited Dhaka from June 25-27 said India and Bangladesh should work on a possible bus service between Dhaka and Guwahati.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
