The High Court today asked the authorities to explain why they should not be directed to give Tk 5 crore as compensation and for treatment of Md Ishan, a child at Kathuria village under Banshkhali upazila in Chattogram, whose limbs were amputated after being electrocuted.

The court sought explanation from the respondents by issuing a rule which is returnable in four weeks.

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Officials concerned including power, energy and mineral resources secretary, chairman of rural electrification board (REB) and managing director of its Chattogram office and deputy commissioner of the district have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman issued the rule following a writ petition filed by the victim Ishan’s father Md Ibrahim seeking directives for compensation.

In the petition, Ibrahim said he verbally requested the REB office in Chattogram at different times to relocate the electric pole and cable which were leaning on the roof his house and he also submitted a written application to the office on February 11 last year.

But the REB officials did not respond.

Ibrahim said in the petition that his son Md Ishan went to the roof of his house on March 4 last year to fly a kite and got electrocuted.

Severely injured Ishan was taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital and later to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka for treatment and his limbs and genital organs had to be amputated.

Doctors suggested Ibrahim take his son Ishan abroad for better treatment and therefore, Ibraim applied to REB’s Chattogram office seeking Tk 5 crore as compensation and treatment for the child but the officials did not respond, according to the writ petition’s statement.

Lawyer Md Shamusl Islam Shimul appeared for the writ petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar represented the state during hearing of the petition.