The High Court yesterday issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government and Green Line Paribahan to explain in four weeks why they would not be ordered to pay Tk 1 crore compensation to Russel Sarker, who lost his left leg after a Green Line bus ran him over last month.

Russel, 26, a car driver of a power company, lost his leg from below the knee after he was knocked down by the bus near Mayor Hanif Flyover at the capital's Dholaipar on April 4. The bus driver had an altercation with him and ran Russel over as he chased down the bus for rear-ending his car.

Russel was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with the severed leg and later transferred to Apollo Hospitals from Square Hospitals.

The HC in the rule yesterday ordered authorities concerned of the government to show cause as to why they should not be directed to strictly enforce relevant laws and rules for safe movement of road users.

The HC also asked the authorities to explain why they should not be ordered to formulate a new law to prevent reckless driving road accidents in future, Deputy Attorney General Arobindu Kumar Roy told The Daily Star.

Secretaries to the ministries of home affairs and road transport and bridges, inspector general of police, commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and its additional secretary (traffic), Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque issued the rule, following a writ petition filed on May 13 by Supreme Court lawyer Umme Kulsum Smrity, seeking necessary order on the respondents to compensate Russel for his damaged leg and to stop reckless driving.

Advocate Khandker Shamsul Haque Reza represented Umme Kulsum.