It is not the 300 kilometer route between Dhaka and Calcutta, or its deficiencies, if any that postponed several times the inauguration of the bus service; the two sides could not reconcile their objections. Possibly the intervention in the matter by the Left Front Chief Minister Jyoti Basu who had held discussions with Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina Wajed and other senior Awami League Ministers, that helped resolve the impasse. The Bangladesh Prime Minister, Hasina too was also keen about the agreement being signed early and true to the spirit of the Bangladesh Prime Minister, the Bangladesh official delegation signed the agreement leaving aside some of the points raised by its Indian counterpart for future negotiations. After all the two sides will place their views on the agreement at the review meeting three months from the commencement of the service.

The West Bengal State Surface Transport Corporation Managing Director, Mr. Santanu Goswami said that the Bangladesh delegates at the talks in Delhi had adopted a positive attitude in getting the issue clinched. A six-member team headed by Mr. Karar Mahamadul Hasan, joint secretary of the Road Transport and Railway Communication of Bangladesh Government arrived in Delhi on February 15. Since the service was being inaugurated between Dhaka and West Bengal, the State Transport Secretary Mr. A Bhattacharya and Mr. Goswami joined the deliberations in Delhi. The Secretary level discussions between the two countries got off to a good start on February 16. The Union Surface Transport Joint-Secretary, Mr. K.R. Bhatti and officers drawn from the External Affairs Ministry Home Department and Customs establishments represented the Indian side in the talks. Discussions were continued on February 17 and thereafter the two sides arrived at a consensus. Besides the agreement, another protocol was signed on the occasion. On behalf of the Bangladesh Government Mr. Hasan signed the agreement and for India, Mr. Bhatti initiated it. The protocol of course will have to be signed later by the authorities of transport organizations of the two countries.

As per the agreement each of the two countries will provide tow buses. Each country will arrange for a depot for stationing the bus there. Both the countries have agreed to exempt the bus service from all usual taxes. The concerned country will take care of the law and order problem in its own territory, that bus may encounter during the journey. A security officer from the country of origin of a bus will accompany the vehicle. The bus timings and fares will be fixed by the concerned transport organizations of the two countries.

The route of the bus has also been identified. Starting off from Calcutta the Dhaka bound bus will enter Bangladesh territory via Bongaon after passing through Petrapole and proceed to Jessore, Faridpur, Magura Daulatia Ghat, and Arichaghat and finally reach Dhaka. Yet both sides have agreed to further consider the number of buses to be put on this service and the number of passengers the bus is expected to transport between the two countries, depending on the number of passengers who may like to avail of the service.

The negotiations between the two countries on introduction of the bus service between Dhaka and Calcutta has been hanging on fire since June 1997. Although the two sides since then have showed eagerness to introduce the bus service as a measure of "enlightened neighborhood" little progress could be made in the talks for unspecified reasons. At last, on December 29 Jyoti Basu wrote to the Prime Minister Mr. Atal Behari Vajpyees requesting him to expedite the issue.