Agartala, Feb 7 (IANS) The month-long political crisis in Bangladesh has hit bus services between the two countries and bilateral trade, officials said here Saturday.
"The Dhaka-Agartala bus service has been completely stopped since last week. The Dhaka-Kolkata bus services were also become irregular due to the political turmoil in Bangladesh," a Tripura Road Transport Corporation (TRTC) official said.
He said: "We do not know when the bus services would be normalise. Due to the political violence in Bangladesh the operators are reluctant to run the bus services between the two countries."
The Tripura government-owned TRTC and the Bangladesh government run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) have been operating the Agartala-Dhaka bus service.
The TRTC had stopped its bus service for the past one month while the BRTC stopped the service last week.
The Agartala-Dhaka bus service started in September 2003 while the Kolkata-Dhaka bus service was introduced in July 1999.
"Currently, the Agartala-Dhaka and Dhaka-Agartala bus services being on run four days a week. The TRTC and BRTC have been considering increasing the periodicity amid pressure of Kolkata-bound passengers," the TRTC official said.
The transportation via Bangladesh is much easier as road connectivity is a big factor for the mountainous northeastern states which share boundaries with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and China.
Agartala via Guwahati is 1,650 km from Kolkata by road and 2,637 km from New Delhi, while the distance between Agartala and Kolkata via Bangladesh is just about 350 km.
"Due to the crisis of aircrafts and mounting increase of the fare of air tickets, people from the northeastern states prefer to go to Kolkata and other places of India via Bangladesh," the official added.
Political chaos in Bangladesh has also affected the trade between the two countries.
"Due to the reduction in the trade between Bangladesh and northeastern states, traders across the borders have been largely losing business," Agartala Exporters-Importers Association general secretary Habul Biswas told IANS.
"Normally, 200 goods laden trucks from Bangladesh came to Akhaura checkpost near Agartala city. The number of trucks reduced to half. Hundreds of labourers involve in the trade are also becoming jobless," Biswas added.
He said the fear-stricken Bangladeshi truck drivers are reluctant to carry goods from Bangladesh to northeastern states in day hours. However, some goods laden trucks are being plied at late nights braving the security threat.
India's four northeastern states of Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam share 1,880-km border with Bangladesh and have several border trade points along this frontier.
Opposition parties led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have launched an indefinite countrywide blockade to protest the first anniversary of the controversial parliamentary elections held Jan 5, 2014.
Since Jan 5, many people have been killed and properties and a large number of vehicles have been damaged in the nationwide political violence.
Measles Virus: Measles spread its wings in India, with 12,773 cases found this year; WHO expressed concern
There has been an increase in measles cases in India this year. According to information, 12,773 cases of measles have been reported in India this year, which is the highest in the last four years.
Israel-Hamas War: America takes action on division of Gaza Strip into two parts, Antony Blinken suddenly reaches Iraq
Israel-Hamas War The Israel-Hamas war has completed one month today and there is no sign of it stopping yet. The Israeli army has intensified its bombardment on the Gaza Strip to eliminate Hamas.
Ukraine War: Due to Russia's attacks on Ukraine, the world has lost 32 lakh crores so far, with 200 million people on the verge of starvation
9 months and 10 days have passed since Russia's alleged special military operation to disarm Ukraine. War has its meaning and profit-loss for America-Europe-Ukraine and Russia. But, the whole world is
Bihar: In the seventh class examination paper, Kashmir was told as a separate country, if the dispute escalated, it was told human error
A disputed matter has come to light from Bihar regarding Kashmir. In a school in the Kishanganj district here, Kashmir has been described as a separate country in the Class VII examination paper.
Coronavirus scare: Govt confirms community spread, readies flight for Iran, count is 30
विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन ने समुदाय संचरण को "बड़ी संख्या में मामलों के लिए
CIA: Fear of use of nuclear weapons in Russia-Ukraine war, CIA chief said – opposition of India and China is important
Bill Burns, head of the US intelligence agency CIA, says that the opposition of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping to nuclear weapons is very important. Explain that
Why Dr. KK Aggarwal die even after taking both doses of Corona vaccine, the expert explained
Famous doctor KK Aggarwal died from Covid-19. What is surprising to the people, is that he had taken both doses of vaccine. On this, the doctor of Medanta Hospital, Arvind Kumar said that there can be
Former US President Bill Clinton infected with Corona, tweeted information
Former US President Bill Clinton made a tweet on Wednesday. He said that his corona infection report has come positive and he has mild symptoms of corona infection. He said that I have quarantined
Corona: Covid patient found again in Guangzhou of China, Dragon imposed a strict ban
On Saturday, several activities were banned and people were asked to stay in their homes after an increase in cases of coronavirus infection in some areas of China's southern province of Guangzhou.
Ram Mandir: 22 January should be declared a public holiday on the day of Ram Mandir Pran Pratistha, The Sant Committee wrote a letter to PM Modi
The festival of consecration of Lord Shri Ram at his birthplace is the most sacred historical moment. So that all followers of Sanatan Dharma can witness that moment on that day in the spirit of the