20210710 Case over Hashem Foods factory fire looms, owner in police’s crosshairs
Bangladesh Jul 10 2021 “Building” “Factories”
Dead : dead more than 10 Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured more than 10
Case over Hashem Foods factory fire looms, owner in police’s crosshairs
Updated: 2021-07-10
Police are preparing to register a case over the devastating blaze at the factory of Hashem Foods Ltd that claimed over 50 lives in Narayanganj’s Rupganj.
The owner of the factory is also being kept under watch, police said on Saturday.
“The case will be filed shortly,” said DIG Habibur Rahman of the police’s Dhaka Range.
Emergency workers have recovered more than 50 bodies from the debris of the fire-ravaged factory so far.
Two days after the blaze erupted, the Fire Service were still working to completely douse the flames on Saturday morning.
They will hand over control of the scene to the police once the fire is fully extinguished, Narayanganj’s Assistant Superintendent of Police (C-Circle) Abir Hossain told bdnews24.com.
“After the fire is put out, officials will inspect the site before filing a case,” he said.
Fire Service officials have blamed a faulty fire safety system at Hashem Foods factory, a unit of Sajeeb Group, for the fatal blaze.
Relatives of missing workers break down in tears outside the burning factory of Hashem Foods Ltd in Narayanganj’s Rupganj on Friday, Jul 9, 2021. Photo: Mahmud Zaman Ovi
One of the staircases to the rooftop was also locked, leaving many workers trapped inside the burning building, according to them. The use of child labour in the factory has also come to light since the incident.
Work is underway to compile a list of officials and employees who oversaw operations at the factory.
“A preliminary list of the owners has already been prepared. They have been kept under surveillance on that basis,” said a police officer, asking not to be named.
The case may include charges of criminal negligence under sections 304, 304 (a), 306 of the Penal Code, he added.
Abul Hashem, the owner of the factory and MD Hashem Foods’ parent company Sajeeb Group and the owner of the factory, however, denied the allegations.
“We invested Tk 7 billion on this factory compound, employing more than 2,000 workers. We’ve been doing business by following the rules. But this fire incident has put me to the test late in my life,” said 68-year old Hashem.
Anyone injured in the incident can start a case against the factory authorities, said DIG Habibur. Otherwise, the police will file a case as a plaintiff.
Web Source: BCNews24