The High Court has declined a plea seeking permission to operate sleeper buses on highways, saying only buses authorised by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) can operate on the roads.
A High Court bench, headed by Justice KM Hafizul Alam, passed the order on Wednesday.
Advocate Md Rafiul Islam appeared for the BRTA in court.
He later said the Sleeper Bus Owners Association had filed an application seeking permission to operate sleeper buses on the roads.
“Section 40 of the Road Transport Act, 2018 sets out the technical specifications for vehicles. Violating these specifications is an offence under Section 84, punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to Tk3 lakh,” he said.
He also referred to Section 28 of the law, which states that no vehicle can operate on the roads without a route permit.
“The court said only buses authorised by the BRTA can operate on the roads. There is no permission to operate sleeper buses, and the High Court has not granted such permission either,” the lawyer said.
Earlier, lawyer Muhammad Huzzatul Islam Khan filed a writ petition challenging the legality of operating sleeper buses on highways.
The petition sought a stay on the operation of unauthorised sleeper buses in the interest of road safety.