Smart Garments chairman, MD arrested, put on remand

Detective Branch (DB) of police in an overnight raid arrested chairman and managing director of the fire-ravaged Smart Export Garments Ltd from the capital's Dhanmondi area Tuesday midnight, four days after the tragedy that claimed lives of seven workers.

The arrested persons were identified as Sharif Ahmed Salam, chairman of the factory and its managing director Zakir Ahmed. Both of them were missing since the fire incident Saturday last.

"We've intelligence report that the absconding duo might come to the Chairman's Dhanmondi residence at night and arrested them at about 11:30pm on Tuesday," DMP's deputy police commissioner (DB west) Mollah Nazrul Islam told the reporters at a briefing at its Media Centre at noon.

Citing outcome of preliminary interrogation, he said they (the arrested people) admitted that they did not have fire licence, insurance, fire exit and fire extinguishers.

"We'll seek their police remand for further interrogation to ascertain the exact cause of the deadly fire," he said, adding that it will be confirmed after questioning whether it was an act of negligence of owners or something else.

DB inspector Humayun Kabir, also the investigation officer of the case, said the apparel factory has five owners and internal conflict among them, if any, could be a cause of the fire.

"We'll interrogate them on all possible reasons behind the incident," he said.

Immediately after the briefing, the police produced the arrested persons before a Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court with a remand prayer for ten days.

But metropolitan magistrate Md Hasibul Haque placed the duo on a two-day remand in connection with the case filed by Altaf Hossain, father of a dead victim, Jotsna, with the Mohammadpur Police Station on January 26.

Hailing the arrest, workers' groups in the country's readymade garment (RMG) industry demanded similar action of the law enforcers against owners of Tazreen Fashions where 111 workers perished in the country's worst ever industrial blaze on November 24 last.

"There remains a question whether the Smart Garment owners have been arrested because they are not the member of BGMEA," President of Combined Garment Workers Federation Nazma Akhter said.

Meanwhile, the High Court (HC) on the day directed the government to keep Smart Export Garments Ltd closed until sufficient fire safety measures are installed at the factory.

During the period of shutdown, its workers will get their wages, as per the HC's ad-interim order.

At the same time, the HC directed the concerned authorities to proceed in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) against the factory owner, directors and officials accused in a case filed by a father of worker Razia, died in the recent devastating fire at the factory.

Clarifying the ad-interim HC order, petitioner's lawyer Advocate Dr Md Eunus Ali Akond told the FE that the authorities concerned were directed to arrest the accused persons under the CrPC.

Upon a writ petition, a HC bench comprising Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury and Justice Mahmudul Hoque also issued rule, which is returnable within two weeks.

Mr Akond stood for the petitioner in the court while Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder represented the government.

Along with the ad-interim order, the HC issued a two-week rule, Mr Akond said.

The respondents, made in the rule, are: labour secretary, Inspector General of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mohammadpur Police Station, Smart Export directors Md Sharif Ahmed, Zakir Ahmed and Subash and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

- Financial Express