Hearing on rule over compensating Rajib's family on April 10

The High Court today fixed April 10 for holding hearing on the rule issued by it over compensating Tk 1 core to the family of Rajib Hossain who died after losing his hand that got stuck between two buses in Dhaka in April last year.

Rajib, a third-year student of Government Titumir College, lost his right hand after it got stuck between two speeding buses of BRTC and Sajan Paribahan, which were trying to overtake each other in Bangla Motor area in Dhaka on April 3 last year.

After two weeks in coma, Rajib died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on April 17.

Today, the Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam fixed the date for holding hearing on the rule after writ petitioner Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal prayed for setting a date for its hearing.

He told the court that Rajib Hossain was killed in the road accident around one year back, but his family members are yet to get any compensation.  

Following his petition, the HC on April 4 last year directed the owners of two buses to bear all the treatment cost of Rajib and also issued a rule asking the government and the bus owners to explain why they should not be directed to give Tk one crore to his family in compensation.

In the rule, the court ordered the authorities concerned of the government to show causes why they should not be directed to strictly enforce the relevant laws and rules for free movement of the passengers.

At the same time, the HC in the rule asked the authorities to explain why they should not be ordered to amend the laws and to formulate new rules for preventing such road accidents in future.

During a hearing on the rule, the HC on May 8 ordered the bus companies to pay Tk 1 crore to Rajib's family, as he died on April 17.

The BRTC and Sajan Paribahan challenged the HC's order and the Supreme Court on May 22 stayed the order and asked the HC to form an independent committee to assess the liabilities.

The committee, led by Prof Mizanur Rahman, director of Accident Research Institute at Buet, in its report submitted in September said reckless driving was the “primary cause of the accident”.

It largely blamed the Sajan Paribahan bus for the accident. The report said the buses were racing and the Sajan Paribahan bus tried to drive into a gap to block the gate of the BRTC bus. The Sajan Paribahan bus side swiped the BRTC bus which resulted in Rajib being fatally injured.

Deputy Attorney General Motaher Hossain Sazu represented the state.