Remove illegal structures from highways: HC

 The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the government to remove all illegal structures within 10 metres of highways across the country to prevent road mishaps.
Delivering the judgement on a writ petition, the HC bench, comprising Justice Zinat Ara and Justice AKM Shahidul Huq, also ordered the government to set up dividers on the highways to prevent road accidents.
It further directed the government to amend the highway-related rules so that no illegal structures can be built beside the highways across the country.
The HC ordered the government to fix Secondary School Certificate (SSC) as the minimum educational qualification for drivers. The government will have to implement the rules within five years, it said.
The HC bench came up with the verdict after the final hearing on a writ petition filed by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB). The petition was filed after 11 people died in a road accident involving the convoy of Brahmanbarhia-3 MP RAM Ubaidul Muktadir Chowdhury in February 2011.
Advocate Manzil Murshid filed the writ petition with the HC on behalf of the HRPB following the road accident in 2011, seeking its directives to prevent road accidents.
Earlier, on February 13, 2011, the HC had issued a rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to take effective measures to prevent road accidents on highways across the country.
It had also asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to remove all illegal structures built beside the highways across the country. After the final hearing on the rule, the HC bench yesterday came up with the directive.

 

Remove illegal structures from highways: HC

The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the government to remove all illegal structures within 10 metres of highways across the country to prevent road mishaps. Delivering the judgement on a writ petition, the HC bench, comprising Justice Zinat Ara and Justice AKM Shahidul Huq, also ordered the government to set up dividers on the highways to prevent road accidents. It further directed the government to amend the highway-related rules so that no illegal structures can be built beside the highways across the country. The HC ordered the government to fix Secondary School Certificate (SSC) as the minimum educational qualification for drivers. The government will have to implement the rules within five years, it said. The HC bench came up with the verdict after the final hearing on a writ petition filed by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB). The petition was filed after 11 people died in a road accident involving the convoy of Brahmanbarhia-3 MP RAM Ubaidul Muktadir Chowdhury in February 2011. Advocate Manzil Murshid filed the writ petition with the HC on behalf of the HRPB following the road accident in 2011, seeking its directives to prevent road accidents. Earlier, on February 13, 2011, the HC had issued a rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to take effective measures to prevent road accidents on highways across the country. It had also asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to remove all illegal structures built beside the highways across the country. After the final hearing on the rule, the HC bench yesterday came up with the directive.