“The Savar building collapse is not an accident; it’s rather a mass murder. The greater number of causalities in the incident has been caused by the government’s neglect and ineptitude,” said BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed.
He was addressing a discussion on press freedom and citizen’s dialogue at the National Press Club.
Moudud alleged that the government could not yet arrest building owner Sohel Rana as he belongs to the ruling party. “The Prime Minister in Parliament said Rana is no one of Jubo League men. If it is true, why Rana is still at large? On the other hand, top opposition leaders, including me, had been arrested in false cases.“
The BNP leader claimed that many people who died inside the crashed building could have been rescued alive had the government engaged Engineering Corp members of the Army in the operation on the first day.
“I’ve heard members of the Engineering Corp of the Army were engaged in the rescue operation today (Friday) and subsequently many people were rescued alive,“ he said.
Moudud further said the government has shown the same nature of negligence and inefficiency as it did during the BDR mutiny.
Referring to his visit to the spot along with BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, the former law minister said, “We didn’t see government’s activeness in the rescue operation … we only saw a few army men working.”
Referring to their visit to Enam Medial, Moudud also alleged that the government failed to ensure proper treatment for those injured in the incident.
The eight-storey building, Rana Plaza, at Savar bus stand on the outskirts of the capita collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least 314 people and injuring nearly 2,000.
