HC seeks list of arrested employees

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday wanted to know the details of the employees of different hotels and restaurants arrested in the drives conducted by government agencies following the Bailey Road building fire that left 46 people dead.

In response to a writ petition, the HC also ordered the Inspector General of Police to submit a report on the details, including the number of labourers, within 30 days.

The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Masood Reza Sobhan and Fatema S Chowdhury seeking necessary directives to this effect.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why the massive arrest of the employees of different hotels and restaurants should not be declared illegal.

They submitted the petition as a public interest litigation, saying that around 800 innocent labourers were arrested in violation of their fundamental rights.

Police filed a case on March 1 this year over the Bailey Road fire incident. At least 800 restaurant employees have been arrested in different hotels and restaurants, the writ petition says.

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