Lawmen sue building owner, three others

Law-enforcers on Saturday sued Amin Mohammad Group, the owner of the seven-storey Green Cozy Cottage shopping mall on Bailey Road, and three individuals allegedly responsible for the devastating Thursday fire.
The development came in the aftermath of Thursday night's devastating fire that claimed 46 lives and injured many.
Negligence, recklessness and carelessness of the building owner and the accused have been cited in the case as the primary factors leading to the tragic loss.
Sub-inspector Shahidul Islam of Ramna police station filed the case that charges Anwarul Haque, owner of 'Chumuk' fast food (where the fire originated), Munshi Hamimul Alam Bipul, the manager of the building, and 'Kacchi Bhai' owner Sohel Siraj with causing deaths by attempted murder in addition to their negligence.
Anwarul and Hamimul are already in police custody, while two others have been detained for questioning, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner (Ramna zone) Muhammad Salman Farsi.
The case statement reveals that the residential Green Cozy Cottage, owned by Amin Mohammad Group and managed by Hamimul, was being used for commercial purpose in violation of rules.
The accused and other restaurant owners allegedly operated their businesses illegally by manipulating the shop inspectors of Rajuk.
During a preliminary investigation, it was discovered that the building owner and the manager rented out the premises to various restaurants and shops without proper approval from the authorities.
The restaurants in the building and other establishments used gas cylinders and stoves without adequate safety measures.
With the complicity of the building owner and the manager, according to the statement, restaurant proprietors stored a significant number of gas cylinders on the ground floor and used them carelessly.
The explosion of a gas cylinder in the kitchen of Chumuk triggered the fire that engulfed the building, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries due to burns and suffocation.
The case statement emphasises that the building, initially constructed for dwelling, was later repurposed for commercial use without proper authorisation.
Despite obtaining commercial certificates, restaurant owners lacked permission from the fire service office to use gas cylinders and stoves for cooking.
The absence of adequate fire safety measures, including fire extinguishers, firefighting equipment and fire exit, exacerbated the severity of the tragedy.
The authorities are now taking comprehensive action to address the legal implications of this devastating incident.
According to the statement, the restaurant owners did not have permission from the fire service office to use gas cylinders and stoves for cooking.
Moreover, the absence of sufficient fire extinguishers, firefighting equipment and fire exit further exacerbated the situation, it added.
Police have reported that the casualties included 20 men, 18 women and eight children.
The identities of 43 victims have been confirmed, while the remains of 40 individuals have been returned to their respective families.
At present, 11 persons who sustained injuries are receiving medical care at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and Sheikh Hasina Burn Institute.
However, health minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen said five survivors of the fire were still in a precarious state and would continue to undergo treatment there.
Talking to the mass media on Saturday, he stressed the need for preventive measures to avoid incidents similar to the blaze at Green Cozy Cottage.
"I believe the Public Works Department and the RAJUK need to be more vigilant. A simple oversight led to the deaths of 46 people in total," he lamented the fact.

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