strikes against court verdicts HC seeks explanation
The High Court Division on Wednesday asked the government as well as the road transport owners association and the road transport workers federation to explain in three weeks why strikes, hartals or blockades called against court orders would not be declared illegal and those enforcing such action programmes would not be punished.
Road transport workers run riot pelting police with bricks at Gabtali in the capital on Wednesday during their indefinite countrywide strike, which they later on the day withdrew. — Sanaul Haque
A bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md. Ataur Rahman Khan passed the order after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.
The respondents include secretaries of the home ministry and bridges division, the inspector general of police, the director general of Rapid Action Battalion, chairmen of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation, deputy inspectors general of police in eight divisions and presidents/ secretaries of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association and Khulna Road Transport Workers’ Federation.
The respondents were directed to restore normal traffic movement within 24 hours and report compliance in two weeks.
HRPB filed the writ petition challenging enforcement of nationwide transport strike without prior notice in protest against sentencing a bus driver to life term for killing film makers Tareque Masud, Mishuk Munier and three others in a road accident in Manikganj in 2011 and sentencing a truck driver to death for killing a woman in road accident in Dhaka district.
Appearing for the petitioner, Supreme Court lawyer Manzill Murshid submitted that any aggrieve party was free to appeal against court verdicts but calling and enforcing strikes against court verdicts and thereby harassing the public was illegal.
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