BRT crane operator among nine arrested over deadly Uttara girder crash

He and his assistant are among nine detained over a girder fall on a car, killing five people

The Rapid Action Battalion has arrested the man who was operating the crane that tilted to one side and dropped a concrete girder on a passing car, killing five people of a family in Dhaka’s Uttara.

The elite police unit said in a text message on Wednesday night it also arrested the operator’s assistant, a security guard of the contractor firm and six others in a case started over the accident.

It made the arrests in Gazipur, Sirajganj and Bagerhat, according to the message.

On Monday, the 70-tonne girder of Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit project came crashing down on the car when it was being moved onto a trailer.

Photos and footage showed the crane tilted on one side. The authorities said the crane has the capacity to lift up to 80 tonnes and it had been used for moving these girders earlier.

The law enforcers launched a hunt for the operator, earlier identified as Al Amin Hossain Hridoy, as the authorities said his statement was essential to determine how and why the accident occurred.

A case was filed at Uttara West Police Station over the incident accusing the crane operator, contractor company China Gezhouba Group Corporation and unnamed people responsible for security.

The government suspended the project, saying the work will resume after ensuring safety as an initial inquiry found evidence of negligence by the Chinese contractor.

The High Court earlier on Wednesday issued a rule asking why the family of the victims of the Uttara girder accident will not be paid Tk 50 million as compensation.