Dhaka: The High Court on Monday issued a contempt-of-court rule against four police officers for not implementing its order to free roads and footpaths from Zero Point to Sadarghat in Dhaka from illegal establishments.

A HC bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Kazi Mohammad Ejarul Haque Akondo issued the rule asking why legal steps would not be taken against them after hearing a petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).

The court also asked the authorities concerned to come up with an answer in two weeks.

The HRPB submitted the petition against Nur-e-Alam, officer-in-charge of Bangshal, Asharaf Uddin of Sutrapur, Abul Hasan of Kotwali and Abu Bakar Siddique of Shahbagh Police Station on Sunday.

Earlier on 26 February, 2012, following a writ petition filed by HRPB, the HC ordered the police to take steps in 48 hours to free the roads and footpaths from Zero Point to Sadarghat area in the capital to facilitate easy movement of people and vehicles.

On 31 October last, Advocate Manzill Murshid of behalf of the HRPB sent a legal notice to the OCs of the four police stations to implement the HC directive in 24 hours mentioning that there are heavy traffic jams in the roads due to illegal shops and unauthorised vehicles.