Rana Plaza collapse: SC orders disposing of murder trial within 6 months

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday ordered the trial court concerned  to dispose of the murder case filed by police in connection with the collapse of Rana Plaza in Savar that left over 1,000 garment workers dead in 2013.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, also upheld a Chamber Court order that postponed bail of the building's owner Sohel Rana.

The Appellate Division's order regarding the bail will remain in place until the case is disposed of.

Deputy Attorney General Sarowar Hossain Bappi represented the state while counsel Md Kamrul Islam stood for the accused.

On 6 April last year, the High Court granted bail to Sohel Rana in the murder case while the prosecution submitted a petition seeking a stay order in this regard later.

On 9 April, the Chamber Court of the SC stayed the HC order and sent the petition to the regular bench of the Appellate Division.

On 10 July, the Appellate Division issued a rule asking to keep the petition, filed by the state, standover and also ordered to keep the bail order [HC order] stayed until the petition is settled.

Finally, the Appellate Division held a hearing regarding the petition yesterday and ordered the lower court to dispose of the case.

On 24 April 2013, Rana Plaza, an illegally-constructed building in Savar which housed five garment factories, came down crashing, killing 1,138 people and injuring over 2,000 others.

Later, police filed a murder case accusing Sohel Rana, who has been in jail since his arrest.