High Court bars unfit vehicles from plying roads

The High Court on Wednesday asked the authorities concerned to stop unfit vehicles from plying roads across the country.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam issued the directive while holding a hearing on a suo moto rule the court issued last year.

It also ordered the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to inform the court about measures being taken against unfit vehicles by February 17.

The court also wanted to know from the authorities concerned how the unfit vehicles are still operating.

Earlier in the day, the BRTA filed a report with the court saying that only about 1.66 lakh among 4.6 lakh vehicles renewed their fitness certificates across the country between October 23 and December 30 last year.

Therefore, around 2.93 lakh vehicles without valid fitness documents have been running on the roads as of December 30.

Advocate Rafiul Islam submitted the report on behalf of the BRTA in line with an earlier order of the court.

In October last year, the High Court told the authorities concerned to take necessary steps so that vehicles without valid fitness documents cannot get fuel from any filling station.

The court also ordered law enforcers to strictly monitor filling stations across Bangladesh so that they do not supply fuel to those vehicles.

On July 23 last year, the High Court ordered renewing fitness certificates of all unfit vehicles within two months.