8 Titas officials to be indicted after nod from higher authorities

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police on Thursday pressed charges against 29 people in a case filed over the blast at a mosque in Paschim Talla area of Narayanganj, which claimed the lives of 34 people.

CID, Narayanganj team submitted the charge sheet before a Narayanganj court in the evening, said Nasir Uddin, special superintendent of police of CID, Narayanganj.

The accused are -- Abdul Gafur Mia, 60, president of the mosque managing committee, Samsuddin Sardar,60, Shamsu Sardar, 57, Shawkat Ali, 50, Asim Uddin, 50, Jahangir Alam, 40, Shafiqul Islam Ujjal, 45, Naim Sardar, 27, Tanvir Ahmed, 45, Al Amin, 35, Alamgir Shikdar, 35, AM Amin, 45, Siraj Hawladar, 55, Newaz Mia, 55, Najir Hossain, 56, Abul Kashem, 45, Abdul Malek, 55, Manirul, 55, Swapan Mia, 38, Aslam Ali, 42, Ali Tajam, 55, Quaiyum, 38, Mamun Mia, 38, Delwar Hossain, Bashir Ahmed, 28, Rimel, 32, Arifur Rahman, 30, Mobarak Hossain, 40 and Raihanul Islam, 36.

The eight officials of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd. will be included in the charge sheet after getting approval from higher authorities concerned, he said.

At least 50 people suffered severe burn injuries in the AC blast at Pashchim Talla Baitus Salah Mosque in Narayanganj around 8:30pm on 4 September.

Narayanganj fire service deputy assistant director Abdullah Al Arefin said a gas pipe line of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited has gone through the bottom of the mosque.

A leakage in that pipe line accumulated gas inside the mosque which may have triggered the AC blast as the amassed gas could not pass because the mosque windows were closed while the AC was on, he added.

A total of six ACs exploded there, leaving around 50 devotees injured. Of them, 37 were taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital in critical condition. Among them, 34 people died.

A case has been filed with Fatullah Model police station for negligence over blast at the Baitul Salam Jame Mosque in Sadar upazila.

Police arrested 11 people, including eight officials of Titas, in this connection.

Four probe bodies were formed to look into the incident.