Tazreen fire: MD, Chairman, 11 others indicted

Staff Correspondent: A Dhaka court has indicted Tazreen Fashions’ Managing Director Delwar Hossain, Chairperson Mahmuda Akter and 11 others, in a case over the devastating fire that killed 112 workers and injured many others in 2012.

The court of Dhaka’s District and Sessions Judge M Kuddus Zaman framed charges against them on Thursday.

The court also fixed October 1 for starting trial of the case.

The accused had been charged with manslaughter and culpable negligence under Section 304 and 304 (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Delwar, Tazreen Chairman Mahmuda Akter and six others, who are now on bail, pleaded themselves innocent and demanded justice after the charges were read out to them. Five other accused have been shown fugitive in the case.

The other 11 accused are Factory Manager Abdur Razzak, Quality Manager Shahiduzzaman Dulal, Production Manager Mobarak Hossain Monju, Manager (admin) Md Dulal Uddin, engineer Mahbubul Morshed, store-in-charge Hamidul Islam and Md Al Amin, security in-charge Md Al Amin and Anisur Rahman, security guard Md Rana, and loader Shamim Mia.

At least 112 workers, mostly women, were killed and scores wounded in the country`s worst industrial blaze at Tazreen Fashions in Ashulia on the outskirts of the capital on November 24, 2012.

Ashulia Police filed a case on November 25 in connection with the incident.

In December 2013, police submitted a charge-sheet in the case over the incident, holding the 13 responsible for the tragedy.

risingbd/DHAKA/Sept 3, 2015/Azad/Augustin Sujan