HC Bars Unapproved Sleeper Buses from Highways

Bangla Press Desk:  The High Court on Wednesday declined to allow sleeper buses to operate on highways without approval from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), saying only vehicles authorised by the regulator can run on the roads.

The High Court bench headed by Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order while hearing a petition filed by a bus owners’ association seeking permission to operate sleeper buses on highways, UNB reports. 

Advocate Md Rafiul Islam who stood for BRTA told the court that Section 40 of the Road Transport Act, 2018 sets technical specifications for vehicles, while violating those specifications constitutes an offence under Section 84, punishable by up to three years in jail and a fine of up to Tk 3 lakh.

He also referred to Section 28, which prohibits vehicles from operating on roads without route permits.

Later, Rafiul Islam told reporters that the court made it clear that only buses authorised by BRTA can operate on roads and that neither BRTA nor the High Court has granted permission for sleeper buses.

The lawyer said sleeper buses therefore cannot operate on highways unless they receive the required BRTA approval and route permits and comply with the technical specifications prescribed by law.

Advocate Muhammad Hujjatul Islam Khan filed a writ petition on January 23 challenging the legality of operating sleeper buses on highways. The petition sought a stay on the operation of unauthorised sleeper buses in the interest of road safety.