A trial bus service on the Bangladesh-India-Nepal route has been flagged off, in a major development in transport across the three countries.Two buses carrying 80 delegates from the three nations led by Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation Chairman Fariduddin Ahmed left the BRTC international depot in Motijheel, Dhaka, on Monday morning, according to Bangladeshi media.

The delegation will reach Kathmandu on April 26, via Siliguri, India, scrutinising in detail all the aspects of the journey. They will submit a report, based on which a protocol will be signed.

“This marks a good beginning of sub-regional connectivity,” said Nazrul Islam, secretary for the road transport and highways division. He said the protocol would be signed “soon”. Commercial bus service will follow the protocol.

Gaurav Gandhi, first secretary (economic) of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, and Dhan Bahadur Oli, deputy chief of mission at the Nepali embassy, were among those who saw the team off.

Currently, passengers use the Lalmonirhat-Burimari-Changrabandha-Siliguri route to go to Kathmandu. The new route will cut short the journey by more than 100km, while passengers will be able to enjoy some lush hills on the way.

The bus will stop at Dhulikhel Resort on April 26 evening, officials said.