Chattogram flyover collapse: 8 sentenced to 7 years in prison

A Chattogram court has sentenced eight individuals to seven years in prison each in a case over the collapse of three girders of an under-construction flyover in Chattogram's Bahaddarhat.

Chattogram's Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Shariful Alam Bhuiyan announced the verdict today (10 July).

The convicted individuals include the Project Manager Md Gias Uddin of Mir Akhter & Parisha Trade Systems (JV), the contractor for the Bahaddarhat flyover construction project; Supervision Engineer Md Manjurul Islam, Quality Control Engineer Abdul Hai, Md Mosharraf Hossain Riaz, Director (Admin) Engineer Shahjahan Ali, Engineer Abdul Jalil, Engineer Aminur Rahman, and Engineer Rafiqul Islam.

"The court has sentenced eight defendants to seven years' imprisonment under distinct clauses, based on evidence from two investigation committees and testimony from 22 witnesses," the court's Bench Assistant Omar Fawad told The Business Standard.

"They were each sentenced to 5 years' imprisonment under one clause, with an additional six months if they fail to pay a Tk3 lakh fine. In another section, they were sentenced to two years' imprisonment each."

"The defendants, who were out on bail prior to the verdict, have had their bail revoked and have been remanded to jail," he added.

Advocate SU Nurul Islam, lawyer of the defendants, said, "We are not satisfied with the verdict and will file an appeal." 

The incident took place on the evening of 24 November 2012, when three girders of the flyover being constructed at Bahaddarhat, Chattogram collapsed suddenly, resulting in the loss of 13 lives and injuring 50 others.

Following the tragedy, Abul Kalam Azad, then Superintendent of Chandgaon police station, filed a case two days later on 26 November 2012 against 25 individuals, including the executive engineer of the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA).

After a police investigation, a charge sheet was filed against eight people on 24 October 2013. 

The trial in the case commenced on 18 June 2014, after the then Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge SM Mojibur Rahman framed charges against the defendants.

During the trial, 22 witnesses testified, seven of whom spoke in favour of the accused.