Eight accused have been named in the case filed over the devastating fire in Sitakunda BM container depot that killed 44 people, including nine firefighters, and injured over 200.
They, all the depot officials, are: depot general manager (GM) Nazmul Akhtar Khan, deputy GM (operation) Nurul Akhter Khan, manager (administration) Khaledur Rahman, assistant administrative official Abbas Ullah, senior executive (administration) Nasir Uddin, assistant manager Abdul Aziz, depot in-charge Saiful Islam and assistant depot in-charge Nazrul Islam.
Sitakunda police station sub-inspector (SI) Ashraf Siddique filed the lawsuit on Tuesday night against them on charges of negligence in discharging duties that claimed 44 lives.
A question has been raised from different quarters, including the workers, over accusing only officials in the case. While some say the depot owners cannot avoid liability in this incident, several workers vented their anger over the issue.
They told Prothom Alo over the phone that how a company will run—is the matter of owners. Many workers were unaware of the preservation of chemicals in the depot. There is nobody but the owners who have the power to keep chemical in the depot.
According to the BM container depot website, the chairman and managing director (MD) of BM container depot are Mr Bert Pronk and Mostafizur Rahman respectively while Mujibur Rahman, brother of Mostafizur, also the MD of Smart Jeans, is the director of the depot.
Mujibur Rahman, treasurer of Chattogram south unit Awami-League (AL), sought nomination from the party in the last parliamentary election to compete in Chattogram-16 constituency (Banskhali). But AL didn’t comply.
According to latest information, of the total 3.5 million shares of BD container, Mostafizur Rahman holds 138,000, Mujibur Rahman 15,000, Smart Jeans 183, 6000 and Pronk properties of Netherlands 151,1000.
When asked as to why the owners have not been made accused in the case, Chattogram district police superintendent SM Rashidul Haque told Prothom Alo that now, the depot officials have been accused. The owners will be brought to book if their involvement is proved true in the investigation.
Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN) Chattogram division secretary Akhtar Kabir told Prothom Alo that officials cannot do anything beyond the owners’ directions. So, the owners cannot avoid their liabilities in this incident.