Two separate Dhaka courts on Wednesday placed Sohel Rana, the much-talked-about owner of collapsed building Rana Plaza in Savar, on fresh remand for 13 days in three cases.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Tajul Islam put Rana on seven-day remand, two days in a drug case and five days in a firearms case. Dhamrai police sought 12-day remand in those cases.
On the other hand, Senior Judicial Magistrate Toibul Hasan placed Rana on a six-day remand in a murder case responding to Savar police’s plea for a seven-day remand against Rana.
Police produced Sohel Rana before the courts at noon. No lawyer, however, represented Rana. More than 1,100 people, mainly garment workers, died while over 2,000 sustained serious injuries as the eight-storey Rana Plaza on city’s outskirt Savar collapsed on April 24.
A combined 19-day rescue operation was formally called off on Monday. Dozens of families had been waiting at the site till Tuesday for the bodies of their dearest ones. A total of 98 persons were reportedly missing till Tuesday when dozens of bodies were buried without confirming their identities.
Earlier on April 29, a Dhaka court placed Sohel Rana on a 15-day police remand in two separate cases filed against him. Sohel Rana was arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) from Benapole in Jessore on April 28.
Rana claimed himself innocent when he was asked to defend himself in front of the judge. Rather he blamed owners of the garment factories of forcing the workers to get inside the building to join day’s work. He, however, said that he would accept any form of punishment if he is found guilty as per the laws.
