HC show-causes authorities’ inaction

The High Court yesterday asked the government to explain in four weeks why it should not be directed to take steps for installing fire extinguishers in all public vehicles including busses and minibuses and private cars to prevent fire accidents.

The court issued a rule asking authorities to show cause why they should not be ordered to properly comply with a notification issued by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority to this end.

BRTA issued the notification on March 2, 2017 under Section 60(3) of the Motor Vehicles Ordinance-1983.   

Secretaries to the road transport and highway division and home ministry, chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and its director concerned, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence and inspector general of police have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by Advocate Abul Barakat Md Sazzad Al Bari Sohel.

Advocate Sohel submitted the writ petition recently as a public interest litigation seeking necessary order from the HC on the respondents to take steps so that fire extinguishers are installed in all vehicles.

He annexed reports of different newspapers on fire accidents in vehicles, saying that many people have been killed and injured in fire incidents as the vehicles had no fire extinguishers.

Advocate Sayed Misbaul Anwar appeared for the writ petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Abdullah-Al-Mahmud Bashar represented the state.