After Yunus, the atmosphere changed, India-Bangladesh relations thawed; trial of Dhaka-Agartala bus service began.

Dhaka. After the political change in Bangladesh, positive movement has started appearing again in the relations between India and Bangladesh. After Mohammad Yunus resigned and Tariq Rehman became the Prime Minister, the ice between the two countries seems to be melting. In this connection, a trial run was conducted towards restarting the Dhaka-Agartala direct bus service which was closed for more than a year.

A luxury bus traveled about 155 kilometers from Dhaka to Agartala on Friday and returned on Saturday. Officials say the trial was conducted on the instructions of the new government. If the trial is successful, regular commercial service could be resumed soon.

The service began in 2003 and was discontinued following tensions.

The Dhaka-Agartala bus service was launched in 2003 to enhance connectivity between the two neighboring countries. It was temporarily halted during the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in June 2022. However, the service was discontinued again in August 2024 following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government and the rise in bilateral tensions.

Tripura government welcomed

Manik Saha welcomed this initiative, saying that the formation of an elected government in Bangladesh has reduced uncertainty and is a good sign for relations between the two countries. He expressed hope that other outstanding issues will also be resolved soon.

Visa services expected to return to normal

According to sources, Bangladesh is preparing to fully restore visa services for Indian citizens. Ahead of the elections, a technical ban was imposed on non-essential travel due to security reasons, although emergency and business visas continued to be issued. Now, as the situation has returned to normal, the visa system is being put into “restart mode.”

Positive signals from India as well

India has also taken initiatives to normalize relations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Tariq Rahman to congratulate him on his victory. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla attended the swearing-in ceremony, while Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also made an official visit.

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar also visited Dhaka to offer condolences after Tarique Rahman’s mother and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia passed away. He also met with the Jamaat-e-Islami leadership during the visit.

Diplomatic signal: Increased contact will restore trust

Experts believe that the resumption of transport, visa and high-level political contacts is a sign that India and Bangladesh are trying to bring relations back on normal track.

The resumption of the Dhaka-Agartala bus service is being considered not only a transport facility but also an important diplomatic step towards restoring trust.