Bangladesh Bank yesterday froze the bank accounts of Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana and his wife Mithu for one month following an order of the High Court.
Earlier in the day, the HC directed the authorities concerned to freeze all the bank accounts of the owners of Rana Plaza and the garment factories housed in the building.
In response to a writ petition filed by two rights organisations, Ain O Salish Kendra, and Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, the HC ordered the Bangladesh Bank to issue an immediate circular for commercial banks in this regard.
It said the due salaries and benefits of the workers would be paid from those accounts under the supervision of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
The HC bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar came up with the orders.
ZI Khan Panna, Abu Obaidur Rahman argued for the petitioners.
Following another writ petition filed by three individuals on the day, the same bench ordered four high officials of the government including deputy inspector general of industrial police to appear before it on April 30 to explain their roles in connection with the building collapse.
The three other officials are: director of industrial police in Savar zone, upazila nirbahi officer of Savar and chief inspector of the factories under the ministry of labour.
The court asked the inspector general of police to submit a report before it within seven days on what legal steps the government had taken after the collapse of Spectrum building in 2005, Phoenix building in 2006, and fire in Tazreen Fashions Ltd in 2012.
It also issued a rule upon the authorities to explain in a week as to why they should not be directed to rehabilitate the victims of the Rana Plaza collapse and take appropriate legal action against the persons responsible for the disaster.
Hassan MS Azim argued for the second petition.