Today marks the 12th anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse, a catastrophic incident on April 24, 2013, near Savar bus stand that claimed the lives of over a thousand people.
The nine-story building, which housed illegally established factories, collapsed, killing 1,134 individuals and injuring more than 2,000, all of whom were garment workers.
Two cases were filed in connection with the incident, one for murder and another under the building construction law.
However, neither case has seen significant progress. While witness testimony has begun in the murder case, the other case remains stayed.
Twelve years after the tragedy, the tears of the victims' families have not dried, and the trauma of the survivors persists. The legal battles remain unresolved.
The defense claims that Sohel Rana, the building owner, remains imprisoned without a verdict due to the delayed completion of both trials.
The prosecution, however, states that the defense's appeals to the higher court against the indictment led to years passing before witness testimony could commence. The prosecution expresses hope for a swift resolution of both cases.
Sources indicate that nearly eight years ago, the trial court framed charges in both cases and set dates for witness testimony. However, witness testimony in the murder case began approximately five and a half years after the indictment.
Conversely, the trial in the building construction law case, filed in connection with the same incident, has been stayed by order of the High Court. Consequently, no witness testimony has begun in this case even after eight years since the indictment.
Court sources reveal that following the indictment in the murder case, eight accused individuals appealed to the High Court challenging its legality. The appeals of seven of them have been settled.
However, the trial proceedings remain stayed due to an appeal filed on behalf of Haji Mohammad Ali, the former commissioner of Savar Municipality's Ward 7, who is also an accused in the case.
Witness testimony against the other accused commenced on January 31, 2022, with the testimony of Wali Ashraf, the then Sub-Inspector (SI) of Savar Police Station and the plaintiff in the case.
Out of the 594 listed witnesses, 83 have completed their testimony, and the 84th witness is currently providing their account. The most recent hearing for witness testimony was on April 21st of this year, during which four individuals testified.
