Pay Tk 50 lakh to road crash victim Russel, HC orders

The High Court today directed Green Line Paribahan to pay Tk 50 lakh to Russel Sarker, who lost his left leg after a Green Line bus ran him over in April last year.

The money will have to be paid to Russel in two weeks as compensation and for his treatment purpose, the court said.

The High Court bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader passed the order while hearing a writ petition filed by a Supreme Court lawyer   seeking adequate compensation for Russel.

The bench also fixed March 31 for further hearing on this issue.

Russel, 26, a car driver of a power company, lost his leg from below the knee after he was knocked down by the bus near Mayor Hanif Flyover at the capital's Dholaipar on April 4 last year. The bus driver had an altercation with him and ran Russel over as he chased down the bus for rear-ending his car.

Russel was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with the severed leg and later transferred to Apollo Hospitals from Square Hospitals.

The HC in the rule on May 14, 2018 ordered authorities concerned of the government to show cause as to why they should not be directed to strictly enforce relevant laws and rules for safe movement of road users.

The court also had asked the authorities to explain why they should not be ordered to formulate a new law to prevent reckless driving road accidents in future.

The High Court rule came after Supreme Court lawyer Umme Kulsum Smrity, on May 13 the same year, filed the writ petition seeking necessary order on the respondents to compensate Russel for his damaged leg and to stop reckless driving.