Bail Withdrawal Sparks Courtroom Confusion

A restaurant owner accused in the case linked to the devastating Bailey Road fire that claimed 46 lives in Dhaka has once again created procedural uncertainty after filing and subsequently withdrawing his surrender and bail application in court.

Rafi Uz-Zahad (34), one of the key accused in the case, appeared before the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Sefatullah in Dhaka on Sunday, seeking surrender and bail. However, even before a formal order could be issued, his legal team withdrew the application, leaving the proceedings in an unusual state of ambiguity.

According to court sources, the bail petition was moved by his lawyer ABM Ibrahim Khalil, while Public Prosecutor Muhammad Shamsuddoha Suman strongly opposed the request, arguing against granting bail in view of the gravity of the charges. After hearing both sides, the court kept the matter pending for order.

Shortly afterwards, confusion emerged regarding the outcome. The prosecutor initially informed journalists that the court had rejected bail and ordered the accused to be sent to jail. However, officials from the general registry section later clarified that the defence had withdrawn both the surrender and bail applications before any ruling was delivered. This sequence of events has raised questions about procedural clarity in the handling of the case.

This is not the first instance of such conduct. Court records indicate that Uz-Zahad has previously filed surrender petitions on multiple occasions only to withdraw them at the last moment. He reportedly submitted similar applications on 20 and 21 May, and again on 23 May, each time retracting the request before final adjudication.

In the same case, other accused individuals have also appeared before the court. On 17 May, property-linked accused Ramzanul Haque Nihad and restaurant owner Adib Alam surrendered and sought bail. While Nihad later withdrew his petition, Adib Alam was granted bail by the court.

The case itself stems from the tragic fire incident at Green Cozy Cottage, a seven-storey commercial building on Bailey Road, which occurred on 29 February 2024 at around 9:45 pm. The fire rapidly engulfed the building, trapping occupants on multiple floors and leading to one of the most severe urban fire disasters in recent memory.

Fire Incident Overview

Following the tragedy, a case was filed at Ramna Model Police Station by Sub-Inspector Mohammad Shahidul Islam. Initially investigated by local police, the case was later transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for a more detailed probe. After an extensive investigation, a charge sheet was submitted implicating 22 individuals over alleged negligence in building safety compliance, fire management failures, and regulatory breaches. The court formally took cognisance of the charges on 19 April this year, issuing arrest warrants for 13 absconding accused.

The trial remains ongoing, with authorities continuing efforts to apprehend the remaining fugitives while legal proceedings progress in court.