HC issues rule on compensating families of  Shezan Juice factory fire victims

The High Court (HC) has issued a rule asking why families of the victims of a fire incident at the Shezan Juice factory in Narayanganj, will not be compensated.

The court, on Sunday, asked concerned authorities to respond to the rule within four weeks.

 An HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahman and Justice Md Mustafizur Rahman issued the rule after hearing a writ petition filed concerning the incident, by Ain O Salish Kendra, Bangladesh Legal and Services Trust, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), and Safety and Rights Society.

 The labour and employment secretary, home secretary, the Bangladesh Bank, the inspector general of police, DIG (Dhaka Range), the Narayanganj deputy commissioner and superintendent of police, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha, the Rupganj upazila nirbahi officer, officer-in-charge of Rupganj police station, the civil surgeon of Narayanganj, Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence Station, and Hashem Foods Ltd's managing director, have all been made respondents to the rule.

The court also ordered the Narayanganj district commissioner, the fire service, and the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, to submit their probe report on the incident within 30 days.

Barrister Sara Hossain, Anik R Haque, and Sharmin Akhter, represented the petitioners in  court during the hearing.

A fire broke out at Shezan Juice Factory in Rupganj of Narayanganj on 8 July, killing 52 factory employees. Police filed a case for the incident on allegations of murder and manslaughter.