The High Court has ruled that sleeper buses cannot operate on highways without permission from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).

A High Court bench led by Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order on Wednesday (9 September), declining to entertain a petition seeking permission for sleeper buses to operate on highways.

Advocate Md Rafiul Islam, who represented the BRTA, said the Sleeper Bus Owners’ Association had filed an application seeking permission to operate such buses on the roads.

He told the court that Section 40 of the Road Transport Act 2018 sets out the technical specifications for vehicles. Any violation of those specifications constitutes an offence under Section 84 of the law, punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of Tk300,000.

He also referred to Section 28 of the Road Transport Act, which clearly states that no vehicle can operate on the roads without a route permit.

“The court said only buses permitted by the BRTA can operate on the roads. Sleeper buses do not have such permission, and the High Court has not granted permission either,” Rafiul Islam said.