HC asks cops to free roads of markets, shops up to 20km from Dhaka city, asks for compliance report in 2 weeks
The High Court yesterday ordered the police authorities to take immediate steps for removal of all shops, markets and bazars on the highways within 20 kilometres of the capital to ease traffic congestion and prevent road accidents. It also ordered the authorities to ensure that no animal stays on the highways.
An HC bench comprised of Justice Mohammad Momtazuddin Ahmed and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore issued a rule that also contained a set of other directives.
The superintendents of police of Dhaka, Naryanganj, Gazipur and Manikganj have been asked to comply with the HC directives and submit a report to the court within two weeks.
The rule followed a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh on February 10 as a public interest litigation seeking necessary directives from the HC to ensure proper road transport and traffic management.
Meanwhile, a two-lane highway is 12.3-metre wide, including 1.5-metre hard shoulder and one-metre soft shoulder on both sides, said a Roads and Highways Department official.
And a four-lane highway is 20. 6-metre wide (14.6-metre main road, 1.5-metre hard shoulder, one-metre soft shoulder on both sides and one-metre wide divider), he said, when contacted.
The HC bench directed the deputy inspector general (DIG) of Highway Police to deploy the police on the highways from Dhaka to Mymensingh, Chittagong, Manikganj and Faridpur to reduce traffic jams and prevent road accidents.
The bench asked the DIG to form a special team to monitor the activities of the .highway police.
It directed the home secretary and the inspector general of police (IGP) to form a seven-member committee with expertise in road transport and traffic management within a week to prepare guidelines for reducing road accidents.
The HC ordered them to obtain a report from the committee, and submit it to the court within two months.
The HC also asked the authorities to explain within three weeks why it should not be directed to ensure an effective road transport and traffic management system for the highways connecting Dhaka city with different districts, and to remove shops, markets and bazars on the highways to reduce traffic jam and prevent road accidents.
Those made respondents to the rule include the home secretary, finance secretary, IGP, DIG Highway Police, joint commissioner of traffic, and SPs of Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Manikganj.
