The Korea Herald

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Bangladesh garment factory owners surrender over deadly fire

By Korea Herald

Published : Feb. 9, 2014 - 19:46

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DHAKA (AFP) ― Owners of a Bangladesh garment factory surrendered to a court Sunday, more than a month after warrants for their arrest were issued over the country’s worst industrial fire that killed 111 workers.

Delwar Hossain and his wife Mahmuda Akter were charged and sought for arrest in December over a 2012 blaze that gutted the Tazreen factory where workers stitched clothes for Western retailers including Walmart.

Prosecutor Anwarul Kabir said the couple handed themselves in to the magistrate’s court in Dhaka and were currently in custody awaiting a bail hearing. “They have sought bail upon surrendering to the court. The court will hold a hearing on their bail prayers later today,” Kabir told AFP.

Although warrants were issued on Dec. 31, police have not arrested Hossain and Akter who have been living freely in Dhaka. It is unclear why they have now decided to give themselves up.

The pair is among 13 people including factory managers and security guards charged with arson, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and death by negligence over the tragedy.