<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">The High Court (HC) on Wednesday&nbsp; issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why they should not be directed to pay Tk 5 crore compensation to five-year-old Agraraj Sikder, who lost his leg after a bus ran over it in Chattogram's Banshkhali.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The HC bench of Justice SM Quddus Zaman and Justice AKM Rabiul Hassan issued the rule after preliminary hearing on a writ petition seeking compensation for Agraraj.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Home secretary, Chattogram divisional commissioner, S Alam Transport Authority and others have been asked to respond to the rule within four weeks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Advocate Tushar Roy, who appeared for the writ petitioner&nbsp; in the court, confirmed reporters about&nbsp; the issuance of the rule.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On February 16, when Agraraj Sikder was standing at the gate of his&nbsp; school in Napora Bazar area of Banshkhali the&nbsp; bus of S Alam Paribahan going to Chattogram ran over the boy’s leg while overtaking an auto-rickshaw.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The bus also dragged the child some distance. The child was later rescued by locals and taken to a hospital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His left leg had to be amputated and his right leg was plastered at the hospital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At a press conference at Chattogram Press Club on April 12, Agraraj's mother Purnima Dey said her son had to lose one of his legs after being hit by the bus.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her husband is a carpenter and they have already spent Tk 7 lakh for the child’s treatment and now they are unable to pay the rest cost, she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Later, a writ petition was filed with the High Court seeking compensation. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>