Probe body blames police, volunteers' negligence

CHITTAGONG, Dec 21: The police investigation team formed to probe the death 10 persons in an incident of stampede at the Qulkhwani of former city mayor and Awami League leader Mohiuddin Chowdhury said it was nothing but an accident and not an act of sabotage.

The enquiry committee headed by Deputy Commissioner (south) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) ASM Mostain Hossain was scheduled to submit the probe report to the CMP commissioner on Thursday night.

Mostain Hossain indicated that it was mere an accident and negligence on the part of all involved in managing the event, security personnel deployed there and owner of the Rima Convention Hall, where the programme was held, was to be blamed for the incident.

As many as 10 people were killed in the stampede and many others injured while taking part in the Mezban organised for the non-beef guests at the Rima Hall marking the Qulkhwani of ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury on December 18.

Shortly after the incident, CMP Commissioner Iqbal Bahar formed a three-member committee comprising CMP deputy commissioner ASM Mostain Hossain, additional deputy commissioner (city special branch) Jashim Uddin and assistant commissioner (south) of the Detective Branch of the CMP.

Committee chief Mostain Hossain said on Thursday they examined the footages of the CCTV set up at the convention hall.

They found that the police personnel on duty and the volunteers assigned to control the mob did not seem to perform their duties properly.

Besides, the west gate of the hall was four to five feet sloping to the main entrance to the two-storey hall.

The parking lot in front of the building was narrow while the number of people arriving to join the feast was several thousands against its capacity of far less than one thousand.

As the guests were obstructed outside the gate on the SS Khaled Road they fell on each other at the slippery entrance as soon as the gate was opened from inside without prior information.

They were in an eager wait for more than an hour to enter the venue, he said.

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