Meghalaya urges Centre to start bus service to Bangladesh

Shillong, Apr 19 (UNI) The Meghalaya government is pursuing with Centre the issue to start bus services from here to Sylhet in Bangladesh, state Transport Minister Deborah C Marak said here today.

''We have requested the Centre for financial assistance to set up a visa issuing office at Shillong,'' Ms Marak said, while replying to the Zero Hour notice moved by Independent MLA Sengman R Marak.

Ms Marak also informed the House that the state government is not in a position to provide the requisite funds for the proposed bus service.

A detailed proposal about the infrastructures, facilities and the financial involvement has also been submitted, the Transport Minister said.

'' However, we are yet to get any affirmative response from the Centre in this regard,'' she added.

Ms Marak informed the House that it was not known whether the bus service would be welcomed by the people.

Earlier, the Independent legislator also urged the government to explore the possibility of starting the Tura-Mymensingh-Dhaka bus service.

''The bus service would reunite families, living across the border who have not seen their nearest and dearest ones since the partition of Bengal,''Mr Marak added.

UNI