Bangla Press Desk: A Dhaka court has accepted the chargesheet against 22 individuals in the case over the devastating Bailey Road fire that claimed 46 lives two years ago, and issued arrest warrants for 13 fugitives.
Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana passed the order on Sunday after taking the formal charges into consideration.
The court has directed the prosecution to submit a report on the execution of the arrest warrants by May 19.
Out of the 22 accused, 13 are currently absconding.
Those on the run include Amin Mohammad Foundation owner Ramzanul Haque Nihad; Mezbanikhana Restaurant owners Latifur Nehar, Khaled Mohammad Saifullah, and Anjan Kumar Saha; and other restaurant owners such as Mushfiqur Rahman (Ambrosia), Jaglul Hasan (Pizza Inn), Ashikur Rahman and Hossain Mohammad Tareq (Street Oven), along with several owners of Fuko restaurant.
The remaining nine accused, including Sohail Siraj, owner of Kacchi Bhai, are currently out on bail.
Inspector Shahjalal Munshi of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) filed the chargesheet on Apr 2.
The investigation uncovered systemic negligence and safety violations at the Green Cozy Cottage building, the scene of the Bailey Road tragedy.
The building was expanded to nine floors in violation of its approved design and was used entirely for commercial purposes despite having residential permits, the CID investigation revealed.
Most restaurants operated without valid trade licences, fire safety equipment, or emergency exits.
The probe revealed that the main gate of the “Kacchi Bhai” restaurant was kept locked to prevent customers from leaving without paying.
This practice continued even after the fire broke out, trapping diners inside.
Highly flammable interior decor and the presence of numerous gas cylinders on different floors caused the fire to spread rapidly, while illegal rooftop structures blocked potential escape routes, the probe found.
The court exempted four individuals from the case as they have passed away.
Two others were cleared due to a lack of evidence.
The fire erupted around 9:45pm on Feb 29, 2024, at the seven-storey Green Cozy Cottage.
The blaze killed 20 men, 18 women, and eight children, while 75 others were rescued alive.
According to the case files, the fire originated from a gas cylinder explosion at a ground-floor eatery.
The resulting heat and thick smoke quickly engulfed the upper floors, causing victims to lose consciousness from suffocation before being burnt.
The case was initially filed by Ramna Model Police before being transferred to the CID for a detailed investigation into the negligence of the building owners and restaurant management.
