The High Court on Sunday asked the government to immediately arrest the owner of Tazreen Fashions Ltd and produce him before it on May 30 in connection with the fire incident at the factory that killed 112 of its workers in November last year.Passing the order, the HC bench comprising Justice Quazi Rezaul Hoque and Justice ABM Altaf Hossain also issued a rule upon the government to explain in four weeks as to why it should not be directed to arrest Tazreen owner Delwar Hossain for his alleged negligence in protecting the workers from the fire.
It also asked the government to explain its inaction in taking legal action against the factory owner after the fire incident.
The Home Secretary, the Labour Secretary, the BGMEA president, the IGP, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner, the officers-in-charge of Savar and Ashulia police stations, Tazreen owner Delwar Hossain and the Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General have been made respondents to the rule.
In its order, the court asked the government to issue red alert in all the airports and land ports across the country so that Delwar cannot leave the country.
The order and rule came following a writ petition filed by three anthropologists — Nazneen Akhtar Banu, Syeda Gulrukh and Mahmudul Hassan Suman.
On April 28, Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua filed the petition on behalf of the anthropologists seeking HC directives to arrest the owner of Tazreen Fashions Ltd in connection with the devastating fire at his RMG factory on November 24, 2012.
The writ also sought the court directives to file a case against Delwar under article 304A/34 of the penal code.
On the day, the HC issued an order on the authorities concerned asking them to explain what legal steps had been taken following the incidents at Spectrum, Phoenix and Tazreen garment factories. (Source: UNB)
