SC verdict on Tuesday over appeal against Rajib’s compensation

The Supreme Court will deliver the over the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation or BRTC and Swajan Paribahan’s petition for a stay on the High Court order directing them to pay Tk 10 million in compensation to the family of Titumir College student Rajib Hasan.

An appellate division bench led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain fixed the date after a hearing on the petition.

Lawyer ABM Bayezid, along with Muniruzzaman filed the petition with the Appellate Division on the behalf of the BRTC while lawyer Abdul Matin Khasru and Pankaj Kumar Kundu represented Swajan Paribahan.

Lawyer Ruhul Kuddus Kajol, who filed the writ petition for compensation, was also at the hearing. 

BRTC lawyer Bayezid said, “We are not responsible for what happened that day. The BRTC bus was parked when the Swajan Paribahan bus came and crashed into its left side.”

Swajan Paribahan lawyer Abdul Matin Khasru said, “The accident is heart breaking, but we want to give Tk 500,000 at the moment.”

“The HC has issued an order to pay Tk 10 million in compensation,” said Ruhul Kuddus Kajol. “A joint bank account has already been opened to receive the funds.”

“The chief justice said ‘we do not want to be unjust to anyone’,”BRTC lawyer Muniruzzaman told bdnews24.com. “’The High Court’s decision will be amended. It is difficult to ensure that Rajib’s brothers will get the entirety of the compensation.’ The verdict will be given tomorrow.”

On May 8, the HC bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque issued an order to provide Tk 10 million as compensation to the family of Rajib Hasan.

BRTC and Swajan Paribahan filed the petition with the Appellate Division against the High Court decision on May 10.

The High Court had directed owners of ‘Swajan Paribahan’ to pay half, with the rest being covered by the BRTC.

The court had also directed ‘Swajan Paribahan’ and BRTC to pay half of their amounts within this month and submit a report to the court on Jun 25 to notify it of whether the compensation was paid.

The BRTC only sought a stay on the compensation of Tk 50 lakh which it was directed to pay by the High Court, said BRTC lawyer Muniruzzaman.

On Apr 4, the court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why it should not order compensation to be paid over the accident.

Rajib lost his right hand after being stuck by BRTC and Swajan Paribahan buses while the drivers were trying to overtake each other in the capital's Karwan Bazar area on Apr 3.

Rajib died on Apr 17 while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.