Police have not made any contact with the purported owners of FR Tower, the high-rise commercial building at the city’s Banani where a blaze killed at least 25 people and injured 60 others on Thursday (Mar 28).
“Police have already traced the building owners, but couldn’t reach out to them,” Inspector General of Police Mohammad Javed Patwary told the media after visiting the fire-hit building on Friday (Mar 29).
“The owners will, of course, face legal action,” he said before adding the victims and their relatives will file lawsuit.
“In case they don’t step forward police will file lawsuit,” said Patwary.
The police chief said, before filing lawsuit, they would consider provisions that will describes the Banni fire incidents as non-bailable offence, which is an apparent mention to the Old Dhaka building owners, who was secured bail form High Court.
The owners of Haji Wahed Mansion in Dhaka’s Chawkbazar were granted bail two weeks after a devastating fire tore through the building on Feb 20 claiming as many as 71 lives.
Referring to Dhaka development authority, Patwary said he had knowledge on what step the RAJUK has been taken.
The FR Tower owner had permission only to build 18 stories but managed to extend them to 22, which the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) said it was investigating.
The police chief, however, vowed that they would act to ensure fire safety issues everywhere.
Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mian said lawsuits will be filed as per the nature of the crimes.
“Those are responsible will face lawsuit under specific provisions,” he told the media after visiting the fire-hit building on Friday.
Mian said lawsuit would be filed after receiving inquiry bodies’ reports.
Separate inquiry has been opened by disaster ministry, fire service, and national engineers’ body to look into the incident.
The DMP chief said forces have been deployed on the building to make sure the no property goes missing.
Asked on whether Banani building owners would secure bail like that of the Old Dhaka building, the Mian said, “Owners of Wahed Mansion went into hiding. Later, he secured bail from court.”
He, however, declined to comment on the bail order.