16 indicted in FR Tower design forgery case

A court here on Monday framed charges against 16 including Rupayan Group chairman Liyakat Ali Khan Mukul in a case lodged over alleged forgery in the design of FR Tower, a high-rise in the capital's Banani area.

The court of Dhaka Divisional Special Judge Syed Kamal Hossain passed the order, setting December 1 for start recording the deposition of the witnesses.

The court also acquitted two accused Md Mofazzal Hossain and Abdullah Al Baki of the charges, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) counsel Mahmud Hossain Jahangir told reporters. 

The 16 accused are- FR Tower owner Syed Md Hossain Imam Faruk, Rupayan Group chairman Liyakat Ali Khan Mukul, FR Tower Owners Society president Tasvir Ul Islam, former director of Rajuk Md Shamsul Alam, assistant director Shah Md Sadrul Alam, assistant authorised officer Md Nazrul Islam, former supervisor Jahanara Begum, assistant director Mehedujjaman, clerks Md Saiful Alam and Md Shafiullah, building inspectors Imrul Kabir and Md Shawkat Ali, authorised officer Md Shafikul Islam, junior clerk Muhammad Mujibur Rahman Mollah, office assistants Md Enamul Haque and Shawkat Ali.

A total of 27 people were killed and 70 others injured in a devastating fire that engulfed the building on March 28, 2019. The matter of design forgery came into light as concerned officials were probing the fire incident.

ACC filed the case on June 25, 2019, for the accused alleged involvement in design forgery and illegally extending FR Tower beyond the permitted number of floors, causing deaths and loss of properties in fire, among other charges.