FIVE years have elapsed after the Rana Plaza collapse in Savar which is known as deadliest garment-factory accident in history, as well as the deadliest structural failure in the modern human history. At least 1136 garment workers were killed on the spot and 1169 received severe injuries when the multi-storied building that housed five factories, several shops and a bank was collapsed on April 24 in 2013. A number of cases were filed by police and other departments accusing owner of the building, Sohel Rana-a local Jubo League leader. But none of those cases yet disposed off.
The total number of cases regarding the accident was 14. Of them, 11 cases were lodged with Labour Court and Lower Courts by Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment, RAJUK, Anti-Corruption Commission, rights groups and others. Three others including two murder cases were filed by police and a victim’s wife. Later, two murder cases were amalgamated to one. The relevant courts could not yet start trial procedure of the murder and another one under Building Construction Act while eight accused went to High Court seeking stay order. Now, uncertainty looms large over the disposal of all cases though charge-sheets of the cases have also been submitted.
Those who were arrested in connection with the cases, including Sohel Rana’s family members, an MP of Savar, engineers, garment factory owners and officials of Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment, — all are now freed in bail. Only Sohel Rana is now behind the bar. According to Public Prosecutor, the High Court issued six months stay order for each in two phases. After that, no order was given regarding seven accused, except stay order for one accused is in effect till May 12. He hoped to finish the trial process after that. But the condition of other 11 cases filed by different authorities is also the same.
We’ve no such word to express our surprise why not a single case was dismissed in the last four years. Whose negligence it was? Who was responsible for delaying the trial process? In a civilized country it was impossible to let free the accused persons who were mainly responsible for killing and injuring over 2200 people.
The victims’ family members would never be happy only seeing Sohel Rana in the jail. They want to see the persons who patronized Sohel Rana, his godfather local MP, RAJUK officials who okayed the faulty designed building, the factory inspectors who gave clearance to run the factories in a dangerous condition – all in the jail.
It is not understandable why the High Court is spending so much time issuing stay order in such a sensitive cases? A case might be dismissed, with or without prejudice but the fact that a case is brought is not the determination of a court or a jury, but of the prosecutor, in a criminal case or a plaintiff in a civil one. Here, the weak performance of our Public Prosecutor has appeared as main reason for delaying the cases.
We fear the persons who were responsible for Rana Plaza collapse will be able to escape the punishment getting advantage of the delaying procedure. Justice delayed justice denied.
