Rampura building owner held

Rapid Action Battalion yesterday detained Jubo League leader Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, who built an illegal makeshift structure at the capital's Malibagh Jheelpar that caved in last month, killing a dozen people. 

The 36-year-old is the information and research secretary of the Dhaka city south unit Jubo League, the youth front of the ruling Awami League.

A Rab-3 team detained him at Tipra Bazar of Comilla around 5:30am.

Speaking at a press conference at the Rab-3 headquarters, Lt Commander Khandaker Golam Sarwar, commanding officer of Rab-3, yesterday said Moniruzzaman occupied the marshland and built the tin structure there. 

He went into hiding after the structure had collapsed on April 15, added Sarwar.

According to RAB, the arrestee was accused in several criminal cases including for murder and extortion in the capital. He had been behind bars.

There are allegations that he is involved in extorting money from garment factory owners at Malibagh Chowdhurypara, said the Rab official. 

Introducing himself as a cable TV operator, Moniruzzaman at the press briefing told journalists that he “bought” the land two years ago. 

Built with tin, metal bars and wood about a year ago, the ground floor of the two-storey structure went down in water on April 15. 

Members of around 20 families got trapped under the wreckage. At least 20 people were rescued by locals.

Syed Ibrahim Ali, a dweller on the first floor, said there were 20 rooms in the structure, and they would pay a monthly rent of TK 4,500-5,000 for each room.

Rampura police filed a case on April 16 against Moniruzzaman on charge of causing deaths by negligence.