Tazreen owner Delwar bailed out

Tazreen Fashions owner Delwar Hossain has been released from jail after obtaining bail from the High Court.

He was released from Dhaka Central jail around 8pm Tuesday.

Delwar, the owner of Tuba Group, is charged with homicide for the deaths of 112 workers in a fire in his factory in 2012.

He secured his bail on July 24 from the High Court.

Workers from other factories of Tuba Group are on a hunger strike demanding three months of unpaid salaries.

Readymade garment factory owners’ association BGMEA leadership has been suggesting that Delwar’s release would expedite the workers’ pay.

At least 112 workers died and more than 250 others were injured in the Tazreen Fashions fire on Nov 24, 2012.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) pressed charges against 13 people including Tazreen Managing Hossain and his wife and company Chairman Mahmuda Akter in Dec 2012.

They were charged with homicide and blamed for negligence of workers safety.

Hossain earlier sought bail from the High Court but was denied though his wife was released on bail.

Around 1,600 workers of Tuba’s five factories at Dhaka's Badda have been agitating, asking for payment of May, June and July salaries, overtime dues and allowances.

The workers set several deadlines for to meeting their demands and finally began their fast-unto-death on the eve of Eid, after BGMEA failed to arrange the payments.

Workers allege that the factory management stopped payment of their wages and allowances to press release of Hossain.