The High Court today directed the authorities concerned to take steps for dope and vision tests of drivers before giving them licenses to run vehicles.

The court also ordered the government to make Road Transport Act effective in six months to reduce reckless driving and road accidents in the country.

While passing a judgement in a rule over compensating family of a road crash victim Rajib Hossain, the court said that doors of the public buses must remain closed on the move and can be opened only at stoppages for the passengers.

The vehicles except ambulances and fire service transports cannot blow horn in the areas of schools, hospitals, residential and restricted areas, the court said.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam also ordered to set up CCTV cameras at important places in the country.

Today, the HC bench ordered two bus companies to pay Tk 50 lakh compensation over the death of Rajib Hossain, the student who died between two buses in Dhaka last year.

State-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) and owners of Sajan Paribahan have to pay Tk 25 lakh each to Rajib’s family within the next two months.

The court passed the order after hearing a rule seeking a compensation sum of Tk 1 crore to the victim’s family.

Government Titumir College student Rajib lost his hand between two racing buses in Dhaka on April 3 last year. He later succumbed to death from his injuries on April 17.

On May 8 last year, High Court ordered the two bus companies to pay Tk 1 crore to Rajib’s family as compensation. However, both companies filed two separate petitions with the Supreme Court challenging the HC order.

On May 22 last year, the Supreme Court stayed the High Court order and asked it (HC) to form an independent committee to assess the liabilities.

The committee, led by Prof Mizanur Rahman, director of Accident Research Institute at Buet, said reckless driving was the “primary cause of the accident” and blamed Sajan Paribahan for the incident.