Locals in Savar claimed that Sohel Rana, owner of the collapsed Rana Plaza building and a leader of local Jubo League unit, had dismissed the cracks which developed in the building yesterday (Tuesday) as a very small issue.
Rana ‘advised’ reporters yesterday not to pay much attention to the matter.
"This is a very small issue. You shouldn't pay much heed to the matter. Let us handle it," he replied when he was asked to comment on the crack.
The commercial building called Rana Plaza had developed cracks at about 9am yesterday. The building housed several garment factories, where an estimated 5,000 workers were employed.
When contacted, Abdur Razzak, engineer of the building, claimed he had told the building authorities not to let anyone enter it before further examination by experts.
Locals alleged that the owner of the building kept it open even after engineers had ordered the building evacuated yesterday (Tuesday).
The owner himself was trapped in the rubble this morning. However, a group of supporters and the local lawmaker of the ruling party Towhid Murad Jong rescued Sohel from the spot and took him away, added a number of locals.
Sohel’s mobile phone was found switched off minutes after he was rescued.
Meanwhile, MK Anwar, a standing committee member of the main opposition BNP, claimed that Sohel built the building without taking due permission from the authorities concerned.
The collapse of the building has caused death of at least 80 people and injured over 1,000 people, mostly women.
