India on Friday proposed to Bangladesh early resumption of passenger train service between the two countries.

The proposal has been put forth after seeing the four-year successful run of Kolkata-Dhaka bus service and launch of a similar link between Dhaka and Agartala on Friday.

"We look forward to the operationalisation of the passengers train service between Sealdah and Dhaka at an early date," Road Transport and Highways Minister B C Khanduri said at the function in Kolkata to mark the beginning of the Agartala-Dhaka bus service.

The operationaliation of Dhaka-Kolkata bus service in July 1999 and the reopening of Petrapole (India)-Benapole (Bangladesh) rail link were positive steps, he said,

The Dhaka-Agartala bus service, he added, will impart a new momentum to this process.

"We will be more than happy to look at the possibility of starting both bus and train services in other sectors as may be mutually agreed upon," Khanduri said.