Roundup: Bangladesh court accepts charge sheet over Rana Plaza disaster

A Bangladesh court on Monday accepted Criminal Investigation Department's charge sheet in the murder case filed over Bangladesh's worst-ever industrial tragedy.

At least 1,131 people, mostly garment workers, were confirmed dead as an eight-story building -- Rana Plaza -- housing five garment factories collapsed on April 24, 2013, in Savar on the outskirts of capital Dhaka.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Al Amin Monday accepted the charge sheet against 41 people who have been charged with murder over the tragedy including Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana.

Among the accused, Rana is the only in custody awaiting trial, 16 are on bail and the rest 14 are absconding.

The court also issued arrest warrant against the absconding 14 and asked authorities to submit a report of compliance in this regard on Jan. 27, 2016.

The Criminal Investigation Department submitted the charge sheet in June this year.

There are claims that the owner did not have achieved the necessary permits from relevant authorities in constructing the building. He also reportedly assured the owners of the factories on the day of tragedy that there was no problem despite cracks detected a day earlier.

The Rana Plaza building collapse revived questions about the commitments of factory owners and their global buyers to provide safe working conditions for the workers in the largest export sector in Bangladesh, which comprises about 5,000 factories employing more than 4 million workers, 80 percent of whom are women.

In another tragedy in late 2012, at least 112 workers were killed in a fire that razed the eight-storey Tazreen Fashion Limited, where some global brands, including U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart, were manufactured.

The Tazreen building had only one exit and the others were locked, forcing the poorly-paid workers to jump from top floors as flames spread through the building. Like Tazreen, the building Rana Plaza stood as a gross violation of building-control laws.

Thanks to its cheap labor force, Bangladesh is now the world's second largest garments exporter after China, producing global brands for customers around the world. The country's garment industry has been severely criticized for safety concerns and labor unrest over rock-bottom wages in recent years.

The country set its export target in 2015-16 fiscal year (July 2015-June 2016) at 33. 50 billion U.S. dollars, including 27.37 billion U.S. dollars from ready-made garment products. Endit