State to appeal against Tuba owner's bail

The government will appeal against the High Court's bail order on Tuba group Managing Director Delwar Hossain, who is in jail in the case involving Tazreen Fashions fire.

Deputy Attorney General Shafiul Bashar Bhandari said on Sunday that the state would request a stay order and appeal against the bail.

"We are preparing the appeal petition, But I cannot tell you when we will file it," he said.

Delwar, charged with 'culpable homicide' and 'causing death by negligence' in the deaths of 112 workers in a fire in 2012 in his factory Tazreen Fashions, obtained a two-month bail from the High Court on July 24.

The deputy attorney general said the government was yet to receive a copy of that order.

File Photo

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 Director Hossain and his wife and company Chairman Mahmuda Akter in Dec 2012.

Delwar had tried to get bail from the High Court before but failed. Mahmuda was released on bail later.

Workers of the Tuba Group's five other factories have gone on a hunger strike strike that rolled into its seventh day on Sunday, demanding unpaid wages since May. Around 1,600 people work in these factories.

BGMEA, the apex body of garment manufacturers claims it has tried various means to pay the workers but failed.

Its acting president, SM Mannan Kochi, on Thursday sought a week's time to make partial payments of due wages and claimed that the problems would be resolved if Delwar was released on bail.

Workers allege the owners are intentionally withholding the wages to pressurise the government into releasing Delwar.