3 more Tazreen staffers held

In this November 24, 2012 file photo, firefighters battle a blaze at Tazreen Fashions Ltd in Savar on the outskirts of the capital.

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Saturday night arrested three more staffers of Tazreen Fashions Ltd in Ashulia in connection with the last November fire that left 112 workers killed in the factory.

The detainees are Security in-charge Anisur Rahman, storekeeper Al Amin and security guard Mohammad Rana Islam.

“The three persons were arrested on suspicion of their involvement in the devastating fire as they had been deployed on the ground floor of the factory from where the fire originated,” said Monsur Ali Mondol, senior assistant superintendent of police at CID, who is the investigation officer of the case.

The CID official said, “They were arrested from their hides and they were produced before court with a seven-day remand for interrogation.”

Earlier, Detective Branch of police arrested administrative officer Dulal Uddin, store in-charge Hamidul Islam Lavlu, and security supervisor Al Amin, 27. Two days after the fire, Ashulia police filed a case in connection with the fire.

They had been arrested suspecting their involvement as they had locked all the collapsible gates when the fire broke out. Had they acted responsibly, many victims could have escaped to safety, the report added.

Meanwhile, a probe report of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on December 31 last year said that the fire at Tazreen was preplanned.

An 11-member team headed by Vice-president SM Mannan Kochi had found that several factory officials were involved in the blaze that killed 112 workers on November 24, the report mentioned.

Besides, the Tazreen Fashions had lacked safety for workers but the suspicious behaviour of level one’s mid-level officials during the incident indicated that it was intentional, according to the team’s findings.

Earlier, a home ministry investigation On December 17 also described the fire as an act of “sabotage” and had recommended filing lawsuits against nine officials of the factory and its owner Delwar Hossain.

Source: The Daily Star