Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Wednesday ordered the state utility Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited to pay on an emergency basis Tk five lakh each to the families of the 37 victims of the deadly blasts at a mosque in Narayanganj’s Fatullah.
The court asked the gas transmission and distribution agency to make the payments in seven days after receiving the order. It also asked the deputy commissioner of Narayanganj to distribute the funds among the families.
The High Court bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Barrister Mar-e-um Khondaker, a Supreme Court lawyer, seeking compensation for the victims’ families.
The court issued also a rule asking the respondents to explain as to why they should not be directed to pay Tk 5.0 million each to the families of the 37 victims of the blasts.
13 respondents including power secretary, home secretary, housing and public works secretary, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, Chairman RAJUK, DG of Fire Service and Civil Defense, DC and SP of Narayanganj, Dhaka Power Distribution Company, Dhaka Electric Supply Company and the committee of Baytus Salat Jame Mosque of Narayanganj have been asked to comply with the rule within four weeks.
A total of 37 victims were brought to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery after the explosions at West Tallah Baytus Salat Jame Mosque of Narayanganj after Esha prayers on September 4. Among them, 28 people have already died.
Barrister Mar-e-um Khondaker filed the writ petition on last Monday seeking HC directives to give Tk fifty lakh as compensation to the families of the victims who died and suffered injuries from the blast.
Advocate Taimur Alam Khondaker took part in the hearing on behalf of the petitioner, while additional attorney general Murad Reza represented the state.
Mr Tairmur said that 21 people died till Monday when the writ petition had been filed but now the death toll now 28. Meanwhile, the state counsel said that they would file appeal petition against the High Court order.
Additional attorney general Murad Reza said, “Who is responsible for the blast is still under investigation. The investigation team has not yet determined the liability. As a result, this order is like imposing liability before determining it.”
