Indo-Bangla bilateral relationship touched another milestone when the much-awaited Agartala-Kolkata transit bus  service across Bangladesh commenced recently.The transit bus service started after the Bangladesh government recently granted double entry visa facility for Indian passengers.The service will help people to reach to Kolkata in quick time rather than the arduous three-dayjourney by road from Agartala to Kolkata across the rough terrain of Assam, Meghalaya and North Bengal.An airconditioned luxury bus -- ''Shyamali'' -- of the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC), carrying Indian passengers andsome officias, left for Dhaka after the formal inauguration of the service.It is learnt that from Dhaka, a similar scarlet airconditioned bus will take the passengers to Kolkata through the Benapol Indo-Bangla checkpost.According to Bangladesh Government sources that the (double entry) visa holder could also stay in Bangladesh for a maximum of seven days during his journey between one part of India and another through their land, and the double entry visa would be issued to those who have confirmed journey ticket for rail or bus or flight.Tripura Government, the ruling CPI (M) and the Opposition political parties have also welcomed Bangladesh's decision to grant double entry and transit visas.  

The decision would boost Indo-Bangla bilateral relations and makeit easier to solve other outstanding issues, including insurgencyrelated problems.The Tripura Ggovernment has also requested the Centre to arrange a meeting between the officials of the Tripura Road Transport Corporation (TRTC) and BRTC to finalise the necessary schedule and formalities about the bus services. The distance to Agartala from Siliguri, considered as the entry point to the North-Eastern region, is about 1,065 kms, while the distance from the Tripura capital to Dhaka is only 146-kms. The rail and surface communications between the Akhaura Checkpost, which is just two kms from Tripura's capital and Dhaka, is smooth and plain while the Indian route is a rocky terrain. The journey from Agartala to Kolkata through Guwahati and Siligurirequires more than 55 hours against some 14 hours through the Bangladeshi territory. The existing single fare journey by air between Agartala and Kolkata requires Rs 3,500 against less than Rs 1,000 (including Rs300 as Travel Tax) through Bangladesh (by bus or train).Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said, ''We have been demanding these (bus) facilities for the people of the North Eastern region for the past many years. Trade and investment, and tourism, will also be boosted following this development.''

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