Rana Plaza tragedy: SC stays HC bail of Sohel Rana

The Supreme Court chamber judge today stayed a High Court order that granted ad-interim bail to Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana in a case filed over loss of lives in the Rana Plaza tragedy in 2013.
Justice Md Rezaul Haque, the chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the SC, passed the order following a petition filed by the state challenging the HC order.
The chamber judge also sent the state’s petition to the full bench of the Appellate Division for its further hearing on October 21.
With the SC chamber judge’s order, Sohel Rana will not be released from jail, Additional Attorney General Mohammad Arshadur Rouf told The Daily Star.
Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque also represented the state while Advocate Syed Mamun Mahbub appeared for Sohel during the hearing today.
Following a bail petition filed by Sohel, the HC yesterday granted ad-interim bail to him for six months and issued a rule asking the state to explain why he should not be granted regular bail.
At least 1,135 people, mostly garment workers, were killed and more than 2,500 others injured as the nine-storey building collapsed in Savar on April 24, 2013, raising questions about labour and human rights standards in Bangladesh.
Wali Ashraf, sub-inspector of Savar Police Station, filed the murder case, accusing Sohel Rana, a former Jubo League leader, his father and several others, for the loss of lives.
On May 24, 2015, the Criminal Investigation Department pressed charges against Sohel and 41 others while the Dhaka District and Sessions Judge’s Court framed charges against them on July 18, 2016.