Green Line Paribahan pays Tk33 lakh so far to Russell who lost a leg hit by their bus

Green Line Paribahan has given Tk33.4 lakh in compensation to Russell Sarkar, a private car driver, who lost his leg after a Green Line Paribahan bus hit him on the Hanif Flyover in the capital three years ago.

Russell received Tk4 lakh on 6 October. In total, he has thus far received Tk33.4 lakh for his medical expenses, Russell's lawyer Khandaker Shamsul Haque Reza told reporters on Sunday.

At one stage, undergoing treatment at a hospital following the accident on 28 April 2018, Russell had to amputate one of his legs. His other leg was also not in good shape.

Then, Umme Kulsum Smriti, a Supreme Court lawyer, came forward to provide legal assistance to him and filed a writ petition with the High Court (HC) seeking Tk1 crore in compensation for Russell.

The HC issued a rule on the preliminary hearing. Later, on 12 March 2019, the court ordered Green Line authorities to pay Tk50 lakh.

In another directive on 10 April that year, the HC directed Greenline to pay Tk5 lakh per month, in accordance to which, Green Line Paribahan paid a total of Tk13.42 lakh in three phases till July of the same year.

However, the Appellate Division later stayed the order.

Under these circumstances, a final hearing was held on the compensation rule pertaining to the Tk1 crore initially sought as compensation. On 1 October 2020, the HC ordered that Russell be paid another Tk20 lakh.

Lawyer Reza said, "There is an instruction to submit a bank statement in this regard to the Supreme Court. At present the court is on vacation and we will submit the bank statement as soon as the court opens on 21 October."