The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division has ordered that Sohel Rana’s bail, previously granted in the murder case arising from the Rana Plaza collapse that claimed over a thousand lives, shall remain suspended for two months. During this period, the court has directed that the bail petition be resolved.
On Monday (28 October), a three-judge bench led by Senior Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam issued the ruling.
Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir represented Sohel Rana in court, while the state was represented by Additional Attorney General Arshadur Rouf.
Earlier, on 2 October, the Chamber Court of the Appellate Division had referred the case to the Supreme Court after suspending the bail order previously issued by the High Court in favour of Sohel Rana. This was in response to the state’s petition for review.
Previously, on 1 October, the High Court, represented by Justices Md Ataur Rahman Khan and KM Hafizul Alam, had granted a six-month bail to Sohel Rana in the murder case linked to the Rana Plaza collapse.
Representing Rana at that time was Advocate Sazzatul Haider Chowdhury, while Deputy Attorney General Md. Masud Rana argued on behalf of the state.
Following the High Court's decision, the state appealed, seeking a suspension of the bail. The Supreme Court had previously granted a temporary suspension on 9 April 2023.
The High Court initially issued a ruling in March 2022 questioning why bail should not be granted to Sohel Rana.
Subsequently, on 6 April 2023, the High Court had granted him bail based on this rule.
The Rana Plaza tragedy, considered one of the gravest industrial disasters in the country’s history, occurred on 24 April 2013, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,300 individuals, most of whom were garment factory workers.
Sohel Rana, the owner of the Rana Plaza building, is the primary accused in the murder case filed in connection with this incident.
