The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a charge sheet in court against 22 individuals, including restaurant owners, over the deadly fire at the Green Cozy Cottage building on Bailey Road in Dhaka that killed 46 people.
The charge sheet was submitted today (2 April) by the investigating officer of the case, CID Police Inspector Shah Jalal Munshi.
Two individuals who died in the incident and two others against whom no evidence was found have been recommended for exemption from prosecution, Deputy Police Commissioner Mia Mohammad Ashish Bin Hasan of DMP’s Prosecution Department said.
The accused named in the charge sheet include Anwarul Haque, owner of Chayer Chumuk Coffee Shop; Md Romjanul Haque Nihad, owner of Amin Mohammad Foundation; Munshi Hamimul Alam Bipul, manager of Amin Mohammad Foundation; Md Sohel Siraj, owner of Kacchi Bhai, Khanas, and Tawaj restaurants; Iqbal Hossain Kauser, owner of Chayer Chumuk coffee shop space; Zain Uddin Zisan, manager of Kacchi Bhai; Mohar Ali Palash and Md Farhad Nasim Alim of Zesty Restaurant.
Also listed are Abdullah Al Matin, owner of Fuko restaurant; Md Nazrul Islam Khan, manager of Fuko restaurant’s sixth floor; Latifur Nehar, Khaled Mohammad Saifullah, and Anjan Kumar Saha of Mezbani Khana restaurant; Md Musfiqur Rahman of Ambrosia restaurant; Jaglul Hasan of Pizzain restaurant; Ashiqur Rahman and Hosain Mohammad Tarek of Street Oven restaurant; and Fuko restaurant owners Rasel Ahmed, Md. Sadril Ahmed Shuvo, Adib Alam, Rafi Uz-Zahid, and Shah Faisal Nabid.
Although some individuals were involved, land owner AK Nasim Haider and Captain Sardar Md Mizanur Rahman have been recommended for exemption due to their deaths.
Similarly, Anwar Hossain Sumon and Shafiqul Rahman Rimon, despite being previously arrested, were recommended for exemption as no evidence of their involvement was found.
The charge sheet states that the accused collectively violated government regulations by running hotel and restaurant businesses without proper approvals, ignoring safety standards, and using gas cylinders and electric ovens unlawfully.
On 29 February 2024, at around 9:45 pm, the fire broke out at the Green Cozy Cottage building on Bailey Road. The case was filed by Ramna Model Police Station Sub-Inspector Mohammad Shahidul Islam.
