2 owners of fire-ravaged Dhaka highrise sent to jail

Dhaka, April 8 – A Dhaka court on Monday sent the two owners of FR Tower to jail in connection with the case filed over the devastating fire that ripped through the high-rise building on March 28 killing 26 people.
Metropolitan Magistrate Sadbir Yasir Ahsan Chowdhury sent them to jail after rejecting their bail petitions in connection with the case.
Earlier, Md Jalaluddin, inspector of Detective Branch of Police and also the investigation officer of the case, produced them before the court upon completion of the their seven-day remand and prayed to the court for keeping them into the jail till the completion of the investigation of the case.
Earlier on March 31, SMHI Faruque, the land owner of the FR Tower in Banani and also an engineer, and Tasvirul Islam, one of the owners of the high-rise building, were placed on a seven-day remand each.
During court proceedings, Advocate Ahesanul Haque Samaji, counsel for Tasvirul Islam, told the court that his client was not involved into the fire incident. He has no negligence over the incident. Tasvirul is not the main owner of the land. So, he has no liability in ensuring the security of the building.
Samaji also said that his client is an elderly ill person. He needs to take treatment. So, he should get bail on health ground for taking treatment, the lawyer said.
Advocate Tuhin Hawlader, counsel for Faruque, told the court that his client gave the land to the developer company through an agreement. A fire incident took place into the building in 2008. After that Faruque filed a general dairy (GD) before the police station alleging that there was no fire safety or security into the building, but the authorities concerned did not take any step following the GD. Hence,
Faruque has no liability over the fire incident. Besides, he is an elderly ill person. He should get bail on health ground for treatment, the lawyer said.
After hearing on the bail pleas, the court sent them to jail after rejecting their bail petitions.
After the fire incident, Sub-Inspector Banani Police Station Milton Dutt filed the case against SMHI Faruque, the land owner of the FR Tower in Banani and also an engineer, and Tasvirul Islam, another owner of the building, Liakat Ali Khan alias Mukul, 57, chairman of Rupayan Group, the builder company and leaders of the building management committee, and some unidentified persons for the death of people due to negligence. – Staff Reporter