Northeast India’s travel landscape just got shorter. After 18 months of suspension, the Maitri international bus from Agartala to Kolkata via Dhaka is running regular schedules once more. The pioneering bus rolled out of Kolkata Monday, cleared Dhaka, and pulled into Agartala Tuesday amid cheers.
The Agartala-Akhaura ICP buzzed with excitement. Tripura Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, TRTC chief Samar Roy, and border authorities greeted arrivals with fanfare.
Chowdhury called it a ‘heartening step forward.’ Amid Bangladesh’s new leadership, he foresaw enhanced economic and cultural exchanges. ‘Friendship drives our mutual growth—this bus proves it,’ he stated firmly.
Direct Agartala-Dhaka runs are next on the agenda, Roy confirmed. State buses with 35 seats will ply three times weekly in both directions, forging stronger Tripura-West Bengal ties through Bangladesh.
COVID curbs paused services initially; a 2022 restart crumbled after a bus mishap and mob fury in Bangladesh. Escalating violence last summer, capped by the Awami League’s collapse on August 5, 2024, stalled progress.
Better security vibes across the border tipped the scales for resumption. Travelers save massively: 620 km via Dhaka versus 1,650 km the long way around.
Second only to Petrapole-Benapole in trade traffic, the ICP highlights the corridor’s strategic weight. Expect surged business, easier commutes, and warmer cross-border relations ahead.