TAMPACO FACTORY FIRE
HC asks owner to surrender before trial court in 7 days
STAFF REPORTER
The High Court yesterday asked Tampaco Foils Limited owner Mokbul Hossain and five other accused to surrender before a lower court in seven days in connection with two cases filed over the factory blast that killed 39 workers and injured scores others in September.
However, the HC granted anticipatory bail to Mokbuls wife Sajeda Parvin Hossain and his daughter Syeda Abida Hossain for eight weeks.
In response to separate bailpetitions filed by eight accused seeking bail, the HC bench comprising Justice AKM Asadduzzaman and Justice Zafar Ahmed passed the orders.
The five other accused asked to surrender before the court are: managing director of the factory Syed Tanvir Ahmed, general manager Shafiqur Rahman, manager (admin) Monir Hossain, deputy managing director Alamgir Hossain and manager Abu Hanif.
All the accused appeared before the High Court during the hearing on the petitions.
A devastating fire raged through Tampaco Foils factory in Tongi BSCIC Industrial area on September 10 leaving at least 39 people, mostly Tampaco workers, killed and scores others injured.
Father of a deceased worker and a sub-inspector of Tongi police station filed two cases on September 1 and 17 respectively.
On November 21 and November 22, eight accused appeared before the court more than two months after the cases were filed against its owners and officials including Mokbul Hossain, also a former BNP lawmaker, on charges of killing and attempt to murder. Senior lawyer Abdul Baset Majumdar, Mahbub Ali and M Ataul Gani stood for the plaintiffs during the hearing.
