The proposed bus service between Agartala and Dhaka is likely to start in mid-September, Bangladesh Betar (radio) quoted Foreign Minister Morshed Khan as saying on Monday.

India and Bangladesh had decided to start the service during the Joint Economic Commission meeting in Dhaka on July 15 and 16, which was attended by External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha.

Earlier, Bangladesh Communications Minister Nazmul Huda also said the service would start from mid-September following signing of some agreements on details by communication ministers of the two countries.

Meanwhile, in the face of opposition from a section of political parties, the Bangladesh government seems to have shelved for the time being the proposal for export of gas to India, media reports said.

The export issue did not come up during a meeting held Sunday by Prime Minister Begum Khalida Zia to discuss problems in the gas sector due to the gap between production and supply, the Daily Star said quoting some ministers who attended the meeting.