Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-Law enforcers in Bangladesh Monday pressed murder charges against 42 people including the owner of Rana Plaza in two cases filed after the collapse of the garment-factory complex that left over 1,135 people dead two years ago.
The collapse of Rana Plaza, an eight-storey building in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on April 24 in 2013 had left more than 1,135 people, mostly garment workers, dead and maimed several hundreds.
The tragedy is regarded as the country’s worst-ever industrial disaster.
Of the two cases, one was filed for killing the people while another for violating building code.
Criminal Investigation Department in Bangladesh, submitted two charge sheets against the 42 people including Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana with the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Dhaka Monday afternoon.
If convicted, the accused could face the death penalty, according to the law of the land while the maximum punishment for culpable homicide is seven years imprisonment.
The ill-fated Rana Plaza housed five garment factories and several shops.
The charges were brought against the 42 including the owners of five garment factories housed the Rana Plaza as investigators found that the workers were reportedly forced to continue their work in the complex on the day of the tragedy after the building developed several major cracks a day earlier.
According to the investigators, Rana Plaza owner, Sohel Rana, and the factory owners had discussed and decided to keep the factory open and in this way, sent the workers to their deaths with cool heads.
Rana, who attempted to flee the country following the disaster, was arrested in Jessore near Bangladesh’s border with India a week after the collapse.
BBN/SS/ANS