Rana Plaza collapse: Arguments in illegal construction case deferred to 28 Oct
Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana is on bail in the case but remains in jail in a murder case.
A Dhaka court today (6 October) set 28 October for further arguments in a case against Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana and seven others over alleged negligence in constructing the building in violation of its approved design.
The hearing was scheduled for today, but acting judge Rafiqul Islam deferred it as Dhaka Divisional Special Judge BM Tarikul Kabir was on leave. Court bench assistant Ariful Islam confirmed the matter.
On 1 September, the same court withdrew the case from the verdict stage on its own initiative and ordered further arguments to be heard.
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The other accused in the case 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.
Sohel Rana is on bail in the case but remains in jail in a murder case. He was brought to court from jail today.
Mahbubur Rahman and Farzana Islam have been absconding since the case was filed, while the other accused are on bail and appeared in court today.
During the trial, Rana's father Abdul Khalek and mother Marzina Khatun Begum died and were subsequently discharged from the case.
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.
Law enforcement arrested Sohel Rana in Benapole on 29 April 2013 as he was allegedly attempting to flee to India. He has remained in custody since then.
