Court fixes 6 October for further arguments in Rana Plaza construction negligence case

A Dhaka court today (1 September) withdrew from the verdict list a case against Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana and seven others over alleged negligence in constructing the building in violation of its approved design, and fixed 6 October for further arguments.

The case had been scheduled for verdict today before Dhaka Divisional Special Judge BM Tariqul Kabir.

Confirming the matter, Ariful Islam, bench assistant to the court, said the judge withdrew the case from the verdict list on his own initiative and fixed a new date for hearing further arguments.

No party had applied to reopen the case for arguments, he added.

The other accused are former Savar municipal mayor Refat Ullah, former chief executive officer Uttam Kumar Roy, executive engineer Rafiqul Islam, former assistant engineer Mahbubur Rahman, former sub-assistant engineer Rakibul Hasan Russell, former town planner Farzana Islam and licensing inspector Md Abdul Mottalib.

Although on bail in this case, Sohel Rana remains in jail in a separate murder case. He was produced before the court from prison today.

Mahbubur Rahman and Farzana Islam have been absconding since the beginning of the case, while the remaining accused are out on bail. They appeared before the court today.

During the trial, Rana's father Abdul Khalek and mother Marzina Khatun Begum died and were subsequently discharged from the case.

Earlier, the court had fixed 16 August for the verdict. However, as the verdict was not ready within the stipulated time, the court postponed it and fixed 1 September as the new date.

On 24 April 2013, Rana Plaza, an eight-storey building adjacent to the Savar bus stand, collapsed, killing over 1,130 people and injuring more than 1,500 others.

On 15 June 2014, ACC Deputy Assistant Director SM Mofidul Islam filed a case at Savar Police Station against 17 people over allegations that the building had been constructed in violation of its approved design.

Sohel Rana was not initially included as the building was registered in his father's name. He was later included in the charge sheet after investigators found that he was the person overseeing the building.

According to the charge sheet, Savar municipality approved the design for a six-storey shopping complex named Rana Plaza on 10 April 2006. On 22 January 2008, permission was sought to construct four additional floors on the building.

The charge sheet also said that although Rana Plaza was originally approved as a shopping complex, Savar municipality later allowed five garment factories to operate there.

On 21 May 2017, charges were framed against 10 accused and the trial began. The court discharged eight people at that stage. Of the 20 witnesses listed in the case, 19 have testified during the trial