Rana Plaza corruption case: Arguments deferred to Oct 28

The hearing of arguments in the corruption case over the construction of the ill-fated Rana Plaza, involving its owner Sohel Rana and seven others, has been deferred to October 28.

The arguments were scheduled for Tuesday before Dhaka Divisional Special Judge BM Tariqul Kabir. However, as the judge was on leave, Acting Judge Rafiqul Islam fixed the new date.

The case had earlier been set for judgment. On September 1, the court, acting on its own motion, reopened the case and ordered further arguments. The judgment had initially been scheduled for August 16 but was deferred as it was not ready.

The eight accused are Sohel Rana; former Savar municipality mayor Refat Ullah; former chief executive officer Uttam Kumar Roy; executive engineer Rafiqul Islam; former assistant engineer Mahbubur Rahman; former sub-assistant engineer Rakibul Hasan Russell; former town planner Farzana Islam; and licensing inspector Md Abdul Motalib.

Sohel Rana is on bail in the corruption case but remains in jail in connection with the murder case over the Rana Plaza collapse. He was brought before the court from jail. Mahbubur Rahman and Farzana Islam have been absconding since the case began, while the other accused are on bail.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case in Savar Police Station on June 15, 2014, accusing 17 people of irregularities in the construction of the building. Following further investigation, Sohel Rana was also made an accused as investigators found that he was primarily responsible for overseeing the building.

The trial began in May 2017 after charges were framed against the accused. Of 20 prosecution witnesses, 19 have testified before the court.

According to the prosecution, a six-storey shopping complex named Rana Plaza was approved in 2006. Later, permission was obtained to add four more floors, allegedly by concealing information from the earlier approval documents. The building was subsequently used to house five garment factories.

Rana Plaza collapsed in Savar on April 24, 2013, killing 1,136 people and leaving 2,438 survivors. Around 2,000 workers were injured or left disabled.

Sohel Rana is also facing separate cases over the deaths in the collapse and alleged violations of building regulations. 

M. A. L