, Sept. 9 -- The High Court on Wednesday declined to allow sleeper buses to operate on highways without approval from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), saying only vehicles authorised by the regulator can run on the roads.

The High Court bench headed by Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order while hearing a petition filed by a bus owners' association seeking permission to operate sleeper buses on highways.

Advocate Md Rafiul Islam who stood for BRTA told the court that Section 40 of the Road Transport Act, 2018 sets technical specifications for vehicles, while violating those specifications constitutes an offence under Section 84, punishable by up to three years in jail and a fine of up to Tk 3 lakh.

He also referred to...