Provide Tk 100,000 to each family of 5 road crash victims: HC

The High Court on Monday asked the government to provide Tk 100,000 as compensation to each of the families of five victims including four children who died in separate road crashes in Uttara, Gazipur, Barishal, Sylhet, and Chattogram recently, reports UNB.

The home, and road transport and bridges secretaries, and the chairman of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority were asked to pay the compensation within 15 days.

The HC bench of justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and justice Razik-Al-Jalil passed the order after hearing a writ petition.

The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain why directives should not be given to provide Tk 5 million as compensation to each family.

The rule also sought explanation as to why the failure of government to prevent road accidents should not be declared illegal.

Home, and road transport and bridges secretaries, chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, Inspector General of Police, Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner and Chattogram Metropolitan Police commissioner were made respondents to the rule which is returnable in four weeks.

Children Charity Bangladesh Foundation and Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust filed the writ petition seeking compensation for the victims.

Lawyer Md Abdul Halim stood for the petitioner and deputy attorney general Mokhlesur Rahman represented the state.

In separate roar crashes, Faiza Tahsin, 10, was killed at city's Uttora area on 5 February, Miraz Khan, 5, at Kaliakoir of Gazipur on 3 February, Liza Aktar, 9, in Barishal, Ahmed Rifat, 6, at Balaganj of Sylhet and Nusrat Chowdhury, 23, at Sitakunda of Chattogram on 2 February.

Earlier on 5 February, the HC issued a similar order to provide Tk 100,000 as compensation to each of the families of another four students who died in separate road crashes in Keraniganj and Chattogram districts in January.