The inaugural run of the Dhaka-Agartala bus service will be held July 12, but the commercial run will begin in the last week of August under an agreement signed Tuesday between Bangladesh and India.

Under the agreement signed by Pinak R. Chakrabarty, the Indian deputy high commissioner, and Mohammad Asaduzzaman, joint secretary in the ministry of communications in Dhaka, the Tripura Road Transport Corporation (TRTC) will undertake the operation on India's side and the state-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) for Bangladesh.

BRTC will run one bus on a round trip basis every day of the week from Dhaka's Motijheel area and the TRTC bus terminus at Krishanagar at Agartala would do so on all days except Sunday.

In addition, the Bangladesh operator may operate an additional round trip on five days off the week except Friday and Sunday.

From Dhaka, the bus will start at 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. and from Agartala at 6.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. It was agreed that the return fare per person will be $10 for the 182 km journey.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee inaugurated the process of restoration of communication links and introduction of the Dhaka-Kolkata bus service jointly in Dhaka.

The trial run for the Dhaka-Agartala bus service were held July 1-3 and the officials of the two sides worked details of the bus service.