A case has been filed against the owner of the collapsed house in Rampura, who is also a Jubo League leader, over the deaths of 12 people in the tragic incident.
SI Abdur Rashid of Rampura police station filed the case against Jubo League DCC ward no 23 unit President Moniruzzaman Chowdhury around 5:30pm Thursday, a day after the two-storied temporary house made of corrugated iron sheets that collapsed.
Assistant Commissioner of Motijheel Zone Nurul Alam confirmed the Dhaka Tribune about the filing of the case.
At least twelve people including four of a family died when the two-storeied house made of corrugated iron sheets collapsed into a water body in the capital’s Rampura on Wednesday.
Anwar Hossain, acting deputy police commissioner of Motijheel division, said Moniruzzaman had gone into hiding soon after the incident.
Asked whether the building had been constructed legally, he said city corporation officials would have to look into this issue. However, the police would take necessary actions after the rescue efforts end, Anwar added.
The Dhaka Tribune has learnt that the land where the house stood belonged to Bangladesh Railway, while Moniruzzaman – a Jubo League leader – had used his muscle power to build the house illegally over the water body.
Contacted, Rajuk Chairman GM Jainal Abedin Bhuiya said such buildings are often built illegally to house low-income people. Despite being aware of the existence of such structures, Rajuk was unable to take action as there was no resettlement system for the floating people.
Nearly 100 low-income people used to live in the poorly-built house that was erected using only bamboo poles over the muddy bed of the water-hyacinth-filled jheel or water body at Hajipara.