HC asks beverage co to pay Tk 2.01cr compensation

The High Court yesterday directed Bangladesh Beverage Industries Limited to pay Tk two crore and one lakh compensation to the wife and two sons of late Mozammel Hossain Mantu, former news editor of the daily Sangbad, who was hit and injured by a vehicle of the company.
Mantu was seriously injured after being hit by a mini truck of Pepsi Cola, a concern of Bangladesh Beverage Industries Limited, at Kakrail in the city on December 3, 1989. He died on December 16 the same year while undergoing treatment.
On January 1 in 1991, Mantu's wife Rawshan Ara Begum filed a case with a court of joint district judge in Dhaka, seeking Tk 3.52 crore compensation from the company.
The court delivered the verdict in the case on March 20, 2005, directing the company to pay the amount as compensation to the wife and two sons of Mantu.
The company then filed an appeal with the HC, challenging the verdict of the joint district judge's court.
After the hearing on the appeal, the HC bench of Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Justice Md Nuruzzaman yesterday modified the lower court judgement, and directed the company to pay Tk two crore and one lakh compensation.
Advocate Khalilur Rahman and Advocate TM Shakil Ahmed appeared for Rawshan Ara, while Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh argued for the company.