‘Wahed Mansion owner threatens neighbour with life’, GD filed

The owner of Haji Wahed Mansion, from where the devasting Chawkbazar fire originated on the night of February 20, has allegedly threatened a neighbour for “giving the CCTV footage of the incident to journalists”.

Mohammad Azam, who owns a building next to Wahed Mansion, filed a general dairy against Md Hasan, one of the owners, with Chawkbazar Police Station on March 25 for issuing threats, said Sub-Inspector Masudur Rahman of the police station.

“Hasan called me around 11:30pm on March 20 when I was at my residence. He intimidated me in abusive language; threatened me with death and inflicting massive damage,” Azam mentioned in the GD.

Contacted, Azam said, “I have not given any footage to anybody. Police took everything (video footage) after the incident. Despite, Hasan held me accountable for giving the footage to media… Finding no other way, I lodged the GD.”

“He has also hurled abusive words to some other people in the neighbourhood,” he added.

Sub-inspector Abdul Mannan of Chawkbazar Police Station has been given the charge to investigate into the complaint.

WHAT WAS SEEN IN THE FOOTAGE?

In the footage, which looked out into the kitchen of Rajmahal restaurant in Old Dhaka's Churihatta, the restaurant employees were seen cooking and working around 10:30pm.

Just as the clock struck 10:32pm (Feb 20), a massive explosion occurred that caused some parts of the Haji Wahed Mansion's wall to fall on the road over vehicles and people.

A fire engulfed the area within seconds.

The video went viral in the social media.

At least 71 people died in the fire and many others were injured.