DHAKA: The High Court issued a rule directing the authorities concerned to publish a gazette issuing directions for implementing the Road Transport Act 2018 which was legislated in wake of mass student protest over road safety last year.

The HC bench of Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal issued the rule Sunday (April 28) after hearing a writ petition.

"Why failing/inactivity of the defendants won't be declared illegal to publish the gazette for implementing the Road Transport Act 2018 and why directions won't be issued to publish the gazette making the law come into effect," asked the rule, as said by lawyer Monjil Morshed, a lawyer of the petitioners.  

Secretaries to the cabinet, home, president's secretariat, prime minister's secretariat, public administration, legislative division, parliament affairs, and road transport and highways division were asked to reply the rule within two weeks.  

Human Rights & Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) Acting Secretary lawyer Sarwar Ahad Chowdhury, Supreme Court lawyer Eklas Uddin Bhuiyan and lawyer Ripon Baroi filed the writ plea Tuesday (April 28).

On April 10, eight government secretaries were served legal notice to issue the same gazette within seven days.  

Meanwhile, six months have passed since issuing the gazette of Road Transport Act 2018 approval on October last year. 

But, the government hasn't published a gazette to implement the law yet.

BDST: 1452 HRS, APR 28, 2019
SI/SMS