The High Court has ordered the withdrawal of indigenous three-wheelers, locally known as Nasiman, Kariman or Bhatbhati, from highways in 10 districts of south-western Bangladesh.
The bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Md Habibul Gani issued the order on Monday following a preliminary hearing on a writ petition.
The court directed the authorities to execute the order within a week and report to the court within two weeks.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Highway), and Superintendents of Police of Bagerhat, Narail, Satkhira, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Magura, Kushtia, Jhenidah, Khulna and Jessore districts have been asked to execute the order.
The court has asked the authorities to explain why the motor vehicle law is not being followed while allowing these vehicles on the highways.
It also wanted to know why such three-wheelers should not be ordered off the road.
Advocate Manzil Murshid had filed the petition on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh on Feb 9.
The Home Secretary, Finance Secretary, Inspector General of Police, DIG (highway), Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Commissioner (Traffic), BRTA Chairman and SPs of the 10 districts have been asked to reply.
Murshid argued for the petition, while Deputy Attorney General Md Mokhlesur Rahman represented the state during the hearing.
Murshid said these vehicles travelled on the highways illegally, causing deaths and accidents.
A report published in the Bengali daily Inqilab on Nov 15 last year blaming these three-wheelers for accidents on highways was also attached to the petition.
Murshid told bdnews24.com that according to the report, vehicles were found on the roads in 10 districts.
Communications Minister Obaidul Quader had issued several warnings earlier against driving these vehicles on highways.
Bus owners and workers had gone on strike demanding they be kept out of the highways.
There are frequent accidents, many of them fatal, because of these unwieldy and unsafe contraptions.
Source: Bd news24
