Agartala, June 29: With the much-touted Agartala-Dhaka bus service still hanging fire, businessmen in Tripura and Bangladesh have joined hands to offer a package tour to Bangladesh. They have also planned a bus service from Agartala to Calcutta via Dhaka with entry and exit visas.

The plan awaits clearance from the Bangladesh government but the authorities at A.K. Traders, a private transport firm, said the Bangladesh government is expected to put its stamp of approval on the scheme soon.

As part of the 10-day package, tourists from Tripura will be taken to religious places and tourists sites in Comilla, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka, costing Rs 4,000 per head. A similar package for tourists from Bangladesh would also be available for visiting tourist sites in Tripura and Meghalaya, A.K. Pal of A.K. Traders said.

He said an agreement has been signed with Logistics, a transport house from Bangladesh, for the package tour. “The tourists will have a 10-day visa and children up to the age of three will be accommodated free. There will be 50 per cent concession for children up to the age of 10,” he said.

On the Agartala-Calcutta bus service via Dhaka, Pal said the groundwork has been completed and the Bangladesh home ministry’s clearance would be available soon.

He said his organisation has signed another agreement with the Saudi transport agency of Bangladesh.

“Buses supplied by the Saudi agency will carry passengers from the Akhaura checkpost, west of Agartala, to Benapole border in West Bengal. Air-conditioned coaches will charge Rs 2,000 and non-AC coaches Rs 1,700 per head,” he said.

Pal said that the Hollywood Travel Agency in Calcutta will carry Tripura passengers from Benapole to Sealdah.

The journey will take about 15 hours.

“For Calcutta-bound passengers, a three-month visa will be issued and unless one returns by that time, the ticket will be treated as cancelled,” Pal said.