A Bangladesh government report says it was a multitude of offenses that led up to the deadly Rana Plaza building collapse.  It’s recommending life sentences for the building's owner and the owners of five garment factories operating there.

More than 1,100 garment workers died on 24 April when the eight-story Rana Plaza crumbled into a heap of concrete and steel.  But the quality of those materials was “extremely poor”.  And it gets worse.

“A portion of the building was also constructed on land which had been a body of water before and was filled with rubbish,” said Mainuddin Khandker, the chief of the government’s investigation.

Past statements from authorities said the owner had permission for a five-storey structure and added three floors illegally.

Just a day before the collapse, the building was briefly evacuated when cracks appeared in the walls.  But the factory owners ordered the workers back to work inside the increasingly rickety building rather than err on the side of safety. 

Earlier reports said the building was damaged because of illegally installed power generators on the roof, which vibrated with such force the building could not bear.

The investigative committee says building owner Sohel Rana and his codefendants should be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.  It also urged the government to ensure that all those injured at Rana Plaza receive free medical treatment. More than 2,500 people were rescued shortly after the disaster.