Court Correspondent

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today imposed status quo for one month on a High Court (HC) order that asked the authorities concerned to stop plying of battery-run rickshaws on the streets of Dhaka city within three days.

"Status-quo for one month and direction," said the order passed by Appellate Division Judge-in-Chamber Justice Md Rezaul Haque. The court also asked the concerned High Court bench to dispose of the rule issued in this regard within a month.

The apex court passed the order after holding a hearing on a government petition, pleading to stay the High Court order.

A High Court division bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi on November 19 had passed the order after holding hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.

The court ordered Home Secretary, LGRD Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner and authorities of the two city corporations to execute the order.

The court also issued a rule, asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why it shall not declare illegal their inaction in stopping the plying of battery-run rickshaws, illegal.

The writ was filed on behalf of an alliance of paddle-run rickshaw owners and was moved by Barrister HM Sanjid Siddiqui and Barrister Tahsina Tasnim Mridu before the court.