Keraniganj factory fire kills 6: Owner sued in murder case, another jailed

A court in Dhaka has sent one of the accused to jail in connection with a deadly fire at an illegal gas lighter factory in South Keraniganj that killed six people, while police continue to hunt for the factory owner and other suspects named in a murder case.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Tamanna of Dhaka issued the order on Sunday (April 6), formally showing the arrest of Iman Ullah Mastan and sending him to prison. 

Prosecutors sought a 10-day remand for interrogation, but the court deferred the hearing to a later date instead of ruling immediately.

The fire broke out around 12:30 pm on Saturday (April 5), at Messrs Asar Gas Pro Factory, located in a narrow alley in the Kadamtali Ambagitcha area of South Keraniganj. 

Rescue teams recovered six bodies from the gutted premises. Only three of the victims have been identified so far, with the remaining three to be identified through DNA testing.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the factory had been operating illegally for eight to 10 years under the ownership of Mohammad Akram Ullah Akram and his son Ahnaf Akif Akram. 

The facility employed 50 to 60 workers, including children, who handled hazardous flammable materials in dangerous conditions without any fire safety equipment.

The FIR further states that law enforcement agencies and mobile courts had shut down and sealed the factory on multiple occasions in the past, but the accused allegedly resumed operations secretly each time, using local influence and muscle power to continue their business.

The murder case has been filed under sections 302, 436, and 34 of the Penal Code along with sections 284, 285, and 290 of the Labour Act 2006 against three named individuals and five to seven unidentified accomplices. 

Sub-Inspector Mohammad Rafiqul Islam of South Keraniganj Police Station is leading the investigation.

Police said operations are ongoing to arrest factory owner Akram Ullah Akram, his son, and other suspects linked to the deadly blaze.