HC gives no relief to sleeper bus operators

The High Court on Wednesday declined to allow sleeper buses to operate on highways, saying only buses authorised by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) can ply the roads.

According to the sources, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority has not approved or registered any double-decker sleeper buses in the country, as there is currently no guideline or policy for such vehicles.

The BRTA database, however, contains registration records for 829 double-decker buses that are not sleeper buses. According to a BRTA committee report, some bus owners registered their vehicles as single-decker buses and later converted their bodies into double-decker sleeper buses.

The HC bench comprising Justice KM Hafizul Alam and Justice Murad-A-Mowla Sohel on Wednesday refused to allow with a petition filed by the Sleeper Bus Owners Association seeking permission to operate sleeper buses on highways.

Advocate Muhammad Rafiul Islam, appearing for the BRTA, told the court that sleeper buses must comply with the technical specifications prescribed under the Road Transport Act, 2018.

He said Section 40 of the law sets out technical specifications for vehicles and that violations of those requirements constitute an offence punishable under Section 84, with a maximum sentence of three years' imprisonment and a fine of Tk 3 lakh.

The lawyer also referred to Section 28 of the Road Transport Act, which prohibits vehicles from operating on roads without route permits.

“Only those buses for which the BRTA has granted permission can operate on the roads. There is no permission for sleeper buses, and the High Court has not granted any such permission either,” Advocate Rafiul Islam told The Daily Star.

The court's order means sleeper buses cannot operate on highways unless they obtain the necessary authorisation from the BRTA and comply with the applicable legal and technical requirements, he said.

Advocate Muhammad Rafiul Islam also informed that a committee was formed following a High Court order issued on July 2, responding to a public interest litigation writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Muhammad Huzzatul Islam Khan concerning the safety of double-decker sleeper buses.

On Wednesday, BRTA lawyer Rafiul Islam submitted the committee’s report to the High Court.

In its report, the BRTA stated that it had suspended the registrations of 41 buses after receiving complaints that their bodies had been converted into unauthorised double-decker sleeper buses. Its mobile courts have also taken legal action against three such buses operating on roads, and the BRTA has asked the police to take legal action against unauthorised double-decker sleeper buses. The authority added that it would continue its enforcement drives.

The committee reviewed the number of approved double-decker sleeper buses, action taken against unauthorised vehicles, and safety measures for such buses. It found that no double-decker sleeper bus had been approved or registered by the BRTA.