Bailey road blaze: Manager of building, 3 others placed on remand

A Dhaka court yesterday granted police two days to interrogate on remand four people arrested over Thursday night's deadly fire at the Green Cozy Cottage shopping mall on Bailey Road in Dhaka that claimed 46 lives.

They are -- Anwarul Haque and Shafiqur Rahman Rimon, owners of "Chumuk" fast-food shop, where the fire originated; Munshi Hamimul Alam Bipul, the building's manager, and Joynuddin Jisan, manager of "Kachchi Bhai".

Police filed a case against Amin Mohammad Group, three people and "unnamed others" over the fire incident.

Shahidul Islam, sub-inspector of Ramna Police Station filed the case on Friday night, charging the accused of causing death by negligence and attempted murder.

In the case statement, the SI said that the Green Cozy Cottage is owned by Amin Mohammad Group, and managed by Hamimul.

The owner and manager of the building rented out the facility to several restaurants and shops without proper approval from the concerned authorities. The accused and other restaurant owners and managers have been operating their business illegally by "managing the shop inspectors of Rajuk," it said.

These restaurants used gas cylinders and stoves for cooking without proper safety measures, said the statement.

With the connivance of the building owner and the manager, the proprietors of 14 restaurants within the building have been storing a large number of gas cylinders on the ground floor and have been using these gas cylinders and gas stoves in a negligent, reckless, careless and dangerous manner without regard for public safety, the case statement said.

The statement said one such gas cylinder, stored in the kitchen of "Chumuk" restaurant, exploded, triggering the fire that engulfed the building, causing deaths and injuries through burns and suffocation to individuals in restaurants and shops on various floors.

The statement said the building was constructed as a residential building. Later, the accused, along with other businesses on different floors, managed to obtain commercial certificates from relevant authorities for conducting business within the structure.

The restaurant owners didn't 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 stairs further exacerbated the situation, it added.

The negligence, recklessness, and carelessness of the building owner and the accused led to the tragic deaths of 46 people, with many others sustaining severe burns and smoke-related injuries, added the case statement.

Contacted, Gazi Ahmed Ullah, head of the public relations department at Amin Mohammad Group, told this paper that the developer company does not currently own the building.

"According to the contract, after the construction, the landowner was given her share of floors. And floors obtained by the developer company were sold off. Currently, the building has a separate owners' association," Gazi said.

Asked about the case, he said steps would be taken as per law.

So far, the bodies of 44 victims have been handed over to their families. Officials said DNA tests will be required to identify the two other bodies.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen said yesterday that five patients admitted at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery were in critical condition.

FBCCI DEMANDS PUNISHMENT

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) yesterday demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible for neglecting safety measures.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the damaged building in the morning, Amin Helaly, senior vice president of the apex trade body, said various government agencies have been blaming each other since the incident, which will not lead to a solution.

"We want a proper investigation into the incident. At the end of the investigation, those responsible should be punished -- be they a person or an organisation," he said.

He said the private sector in Bangladesh has contributed to economic growth and advancement, adding, "But business establishments are still lagging in terms of full compliance with rules."

Before the fire broke out, a government agency had already issued notices declaring the building dangerous, he added.

"They cannot avoid their responsibility by simply giving notices. They had the opportunity to take legal action. Instead, they were indifferent. Now, businesses are being blamed," he said.

Helaly said government agencies should thoroughly analyse and examine the safety aspects of a building before issuing compliance certificates to commercial buildings.