The anticipated verdict in the long-running corruption case regarding the construction and approval of the Rana Plaza building has been postponed, with a Dhaka court sending the matter back to the argument stage.
Judge B. M. Tarikul Kabir of the Dhaka Divisional Special Judge’s Court issued the order on Tuesday following a formal petition submitted by the defence counsel. The case had been scheduled for judgment delivery, but the court accepted the defence’s application to present fresh arguments, postponing the final resolution of the high-profile legal proceedings.
The case involves eight defendants, including building owner Sohel Rana, former Savar Municipality mayor Refat Ullah, former chief executive officer Uttam Kumar Roy, executive engineer Rafiqul Islam, former assistant engineer Mahbubur Rahman, former sub-assistant engineer Rakibul Hasan Russel, former town planner Farzana Islam, and license inspector Md Abdul Motaleb.
The legal status of the accused varies significantly. While Sohel Rana holds bail status in this corruption case, he remains incarcerated in connection with the separate murder case filed over the catastrophic structural collapse. He was produced before the court from prison under security escort. Defendants Mahbubur Rahman and Farzana Islam remain fugitives, while the remaining accused appeared in court on bail.
The legal battle stems from the tragedy of 24 April 2013, when the multi-storey Rana Plaza complex near the Savar bus stand collapsed catastrophically. The disaster trapped thousands of garment workers beneath the rubble, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,136 people and leaving countless others injured.
Ranked among the most devastating industrial disasters in the nation’s history, the collapse triggered intense scrutiny regarding building design approvals, unauthorized vertical expansions, and the operation of garment factories within commercial premises. In response, the Anti-Corruption Commission initiated an inquiry into structural irregularities and municipal approvals.
On 15 June 2014, the anti-graft body lodged a formal case at Savar police station against 17 individuals over unauthorized construction. Although Sohel Rana was initially omitted because the property was registered under his father’s name, subsequent investigations revealed his direct involvement in the construction and management, leading to his inclusion in the charge sheet.
According to case documents, Savar Municipality had initially approved a design for a six-storey commercial complex named Rana Plaza on 10 April 2006. An application for an additional four storeys was submitted on 22 January 2008. Although the structure was sanctioned as a shopping complex, permissions were later granted to house five garment factories within the premises. Investigators alleged widespread irregularities, corruption, and flouting of building bylaws during the plan approvals and unauthorized vertical expansion.
On 23 February 2017, following further investigations, a charge sheet naming 18 individuals—including Sohel Rana and his parents—was submitted to the court. During the framing of charges, eight individuals were discharged, and formal trials commenced against ten defendants. Sohel Rana’s parents were later dropped from the proceedings following their deaths.
The trial formally began on 21 May 2017 with the framing of charges against the accused. Throughout the judicial proceedings, the prosecution presented 19 out of 20 listed witnesses to substantiate the corruption charges. With the court accepting the defence petition for fresh arguments, both legal teams will now return to court for renewed submissions before a new verdict date can be fixed.
