Court Correspondent
The District and Sessions Judge’s Court of Dhaka on Sunday deferred the hearing on charge framing against 42 accused in the murder case filed in connection with the collapse of Rana Plaza building to June 13. Judge SM Kuddus Zaman of the court fixed the new date after hearing on a petition filed on behalf of the defence seeking time.
The eight-storied building that housed five garment factories, a shopping complex and a branch of BRAC Bank, collapsed on April 24, 2013, killing 1,136 people, mostly female workers, and injuring over 2,500 others. It was built on a swamp and some of its upper floors were added illegally.
A total of 1,117 bodies were recovered from the spot of Savar after collapse. Later, 19 seriously injured garment workers died during their medical treatment in different hospitals. Besides, of the injured, 78 ultimately have become disabled. The dead bodies of 844 workers were handed over to the kith and kin of the victims.
On June 1, last year, over two years after the incident, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police submitted two charge sheets of the cases to the court against 42 people, including the owner of the building, Sohel Rana. Of the accused persons, 17 are common in the two charge sheets submitted by the CID. Of the two case- one was filed for murder while the other was filed under the Building Construction Code. Besides, 594 people were shown as witnesses in the murder case while 135 in another case.
On the day when the complex collapsed, Rajuk filed a case with Savar Model Police Station against Sohel Rana for violating the National Building Code. Police also filed a case accusing six people, including Sohel Rana, on April 25 of committing murder. Police arrested Sohel Rana on April 28, 2013.
