The High Court today directed the government to immediately remove illegal structures within 10 metres of highways across the country.

Delivering the judgment on a writ petition, the HC ordered the government to set up dividers on the highways to prevent road accidents.

The court asked the authorities concerned of the government to amend the highway-related rules so that no structure can be built within 10 metres of the highways.

Under the existing rules, the government allows construction of structures within this range.

The court also asked the authorities concerned to take a step to amend the rules fixing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) as the minimum educational qualification for drivers. The government will have to implement the rules after five years, the court said.

The HC bench of Justice Zinat Ara and AKM Shahidul Huq came up with the verdict after hearing the writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

Advocate Manzil Murshid submitted the petition in 2011 seeking necessary directives for the High Court to prevent road accidents.

The petition was filed as a public interest litigation after 11 people were killed in a road accident in Faridpur in 2011.