The general manager of Green Line Transport has accused the High Court of “being aggressive” over the verdict of a Tk 5million compensation that the transport company was directed to pay for running over a driver who lost a leg in the accident.
“The court said that the compensation has to be paid by Apr 10, or our ticket sale will be halted and buses will be auctioned off,” General Manager Abu Sattar told Bangla Tribune on Friday (Apr 5).
“The court threatened me which can be only described a terrorist activity,” he accused.
The bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader on Thursday (Apr 4) expressed dissatisfaction over the transport company’s failure to pay compensation to driver Russel Sarker who was run over by a Green Line bus in April last year.
On Mar 12 this year, the HC ordered a compensation of Tk 5 million to be paid within 14 days. Green Line challenged the verdict but the Appellate Division upheld the order.
“We respect the court’s verdict but we were not allowed to present our argument,” Sattar said.
“We wanted to take part in the appeal hearing. Even the law has some provisions but the court disregarded it saying we must pay the compensation. They didn’t accept any of our arguments.”
Sattar said that they wanted to move the top court for a review but they can’t do it unless a copy of the HC order was available.
“We didn’t even receive the judgement yet,” he claimed and said that their owner was abroad and they will discuss the matter once he gets back.
In his opinion the court announced the verdict “at the speed of a tornado.”
He said that when their counsel asked the court under which law was the verdict passed, they were told that it wasn’t under any legal provision but it was supposed to serve as an example.
“It means that they violated the law as well,” Sattar said.
He cited examples of instances when the matter of compensation was stayed by the apex court and attributed the whole thing to “our bad luck.”
“The thing is the transport owners’ association that will not allow Green Line to pay the compensation because they think if we pay it, at one point they’ll have to pay it as well.”
Sattar said that they have spoken to the leaders of the associations in 64 districts and discussions were underway as to what will be done.
“We are waiting on the owners who will hopefully reach a decision by next Sunday or Monday. It’s a proprietorship and we can’t do against the association.”
On Green Line’s reluctance to pay the compensation he said, “What’s my fault that I have to pay Tk 5 million? The court asked us to pay it. We didn’t say that we will.”
Saying that it will be impossible to run a business in the country if this continues, he added, “If the price for one leg is Tk 5 million then it will become a fixed value in the market. What’ll happen if five people die?”
He said that no driver runs someone over intentionally and they reached out to the victim’s family offering to bear the cost of treatment but were told that a foreign company has already taken that responsibility.
Sattar added that Green Line had then offered to pay Tk 500,000 but they hadn’t heard back from them yet.
“If we have to pay Tk 5 million for one leg, we have decided to go out of business,” he lashed out.
After Russel Sarker was run over, reserved seats lawmaker Umme Kulsum Sriti lodged a writ with the HC regarding the accident after which a rule was issued.
In addition to the Tk 5million compensation Green Line was ordered to foot Russel's medical bills and arrange for prosthetic leg for him.