Dhaka – A court here on Monday framed charges against 41 accused, including Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana, in a murder case filed over Rana Plaza collapse in 2013.
Dhaka district and session Judge SM Kuddus Zaman passed the order and fixed September 18 for starting the formal trial with the deposition of witnesses in the case.
The court also rejected the discharge petitions of 35 accused when they prayed for their discharge from the case.
Of the 41 accused, seven are now in jail, 27 others are out on bail and seven others have been on the run.
A total of 34 accused were present during the hearing.
On December 21, 2015, a court here accepted the chargesheet in the murder.
A total of 1,129 people, mostly garment workers, were killed and some 2,515 others injured as Rana Plaza came down crushing in Savar on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka on 24 April, 2013.
Over two years after the Rana Plaza tragedy, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police pressed charges against 42 people, including Sohel Rana on June 1, last year in the two cases filed over the Rana Plaza collapse.
Of the charge-sheeted accused, 17 were common in the two chargesheets submitted by Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Sohel Rana’s father Abdul Khalek and mother Marjina Begum and 12 government officials were among the charge-sheeted accused.
On the day when the complex collapsed, Rajuk filed a case with Savar Model Police Station against Sohel Rana for violating the Bangladesh National Building Code.
Police also filed a case accusing six people, including Sohel Rana, on April 25, 2013 of committing murders.
Police arrested Sohel Rana on April 28, 2013.
