Protests in Bangladesh have spread to a second city with hundreds of people throwing stones and setting fire to vehicles, as authorities made arrests in connection with the collapse of factory building that killed more than 300 workers. Police said on Saturday they had arrested two owners of the garment business and two engineers involved in approving the design of the shoddily constructed eight-story building which collapsed on Wednesday.
Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Haque Tuku said police had arrested Bazlus Samad, managing director of New Wave Apparels Ltd, and Mahmudur Rahman Tapash, the company chairman.
He told reporters that police had also detained the wife of Mohammed Sohel Rana, the owner of the collapsed Rana Plaza building, for questioning. The top three floors of the eight-story building were illegally constructed.
“Everyone involved – including the designer, engineer, and builders – will be arrested for putting up this defective building,” Haque said.
Dhaka police superintendent Habibur Rahman said Rana was a local leader of ruling Awami League’s youth front. Officials said Rana Plaza, on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka, had been built without the correct permits, and the workers were allowed in on Wednesday despite warnings the previous day that it was structurally unsafe.
