SILIGURI: Two buses carrying delegates of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh were launched between Kathmandu and Dhaka through India, as part of a trial bus service from Bangladesh and Nepal. The delegation comprised of 25 Bangladeshis, 12 Indians, six Nepalese, and one official of Asian Development Bank (ADB). The aim of the trial run is to establish communication with Nepal by road, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) chairman Fariduddin Ahmed, who led the delegation said.
“A protocol is expected to be signed on the basis of the delegation's report for launching a regular and direct bus service between Dhaka and Kathmandu,” he said. Ahmed added that the service will boost tourism, help tourists and businessmen associated with the tourism industry. It will also help people who come to West Bengal for medical tourism. Bangladesh Road Transport and highways Division Secretary Nazrul Islam said, “This marks a good beginning of sub-regional connectivity.”
The proposed commercial bus service comes under the purview of Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement. It was signed in June 2015 to enable movement of passenger and cargo vehicles.
