CDA chief, 5 others sued over Ctg flyover collapse

A case was filed against Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Abdus Salam and five others on Thursday over the collapse of girders of an under-construction flyover at Bahaddarhat that claimed at least 13 lives.

Jadab Chandra Sheel, General Secretary of Bangladesh Nagorik Odhikar Foundation, a rights organisation, filed the case with the court of Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate accusing another 15 unnamed persons.

On Nov 24, three girders of the under-construction flyover caved in killing at least 13 people. A girder of the same overpass had collapsed several months ago but the authorities continued construction work ignoring the risks.

Metropolitan Magistrate Nur-e-Alam Bhuiyan took cognisance of the case and ordered Chandgaon Police Station's Officer-in-Charge to take necessary steps following probe, plaintiff's lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told bdnews24.com.

The case charged the accused of negligence of duty and continuing construction works flouting rules that had caused the casualties.

The main accused of the case Abdus Salam is a leader of the ruling Awami League.

Others named in the case include CDA Chief Engineer Nasir Uddin Mahmud Chowdhury, contractor firm Parisha owner Jahangir Sattar Tinku, Meer Akter-Parisha (JV) Managing Director Abdur Razzak, consultant firm SARM official M A Matin and flyover Project Director AAM Habibur Rahman.

Allegations surfaced following the accident that the contractors and CDA were constructing the flyover without taking adequate safety measures.

Earlier on Nov 26, the police filed another case against the Project Director and 24 others alleging that the deaths were caused by negligence in duties.

Three engineers including the Project Director have already been suspended over the accident.

The district administration, CDA and the Ministry of Public Works formed three probe bodies to look into the matter.