Despite recurring fatal accidents and special directives issued by the prime minister to shut down all chemical warehouses in the highly congested old Dhaka chemical stockpiling business continues there, making the locals more vulnerable to fresh disasters. On the night of February 21, a fire incident in Chawkbazar’s Churihatta residential neighbourhood killed 68, all of who died from fatal chemical burn injuries. Scores more were treated for burn injuries who now survive to speak about the horrific incident.
Following the incident a special taskforce comprising five separate teams investigated into the incident including detecting similar chemical warehouses in the crowded old Dhaka where shabby dilapidated buildings lay side by side hardly sparing any room for vehicles to move about. Sadly, a recent report made public by the fire service and civil defense department shows that there are 72 such ‘warehouses’ where traders continue to stockpile deadly chemicals illegally defying authority’s directives to move the highly flammable chemicals.
Local businessmen, however, disagree with the decisions of the taskforce claiming that there are no such ‘warehouses’ containing chemicals. Basu Dev, a local chemical businessman told this correspondent, “We have complied with all directives from the authority concerned. Majority of the chemical warehouses have been shut down and relocated. The neighborhood is now safer and free of any chemical godowns.”
A fellow businessman pointed out that during the drive to shut down the warehouses utility services like electricity, gas and water lines were disconnected at the directives of the taskforce. Such move hugely disrupted daily family lives in the area for many days, though there was no presence of any chemicals in the basement of any building, he went on saying.
Local business leaders have termed the February 21 fire incident as an isolated incident where efficient safety measures were missing. Fire Service and Civil Defense authorities have freshly identified the vulnerable (72) buildings and markets in Old Dhaka which are at risk of fire owing to preserving chemicals.
Sources said that despite being served formal notices to shift the warehouses traders refuse to comply, creating an uncertain dilemma.
Expressing dissatisfaction, Raton Bosak, 55, a resident of Old Dhaka said, “Country’s people experienced the fury of a fire disaster at Chawkbazar Churihatta on February 21 at night, a few years after the Nimtoli disaster.” “Basement or ground floor of almost all buildings had been used as chemical warehouse s for years under the very nose of the authorities. Why did they not take appropriate action to shut the business before?” Bosak asked?
During a spot visit, this correspondent found that various types of chemicals and inflammable goods were preserved at different markets and buildings like before. A chemical warehouse was found in operation located at 69/2 no. building at Nanda Kumar Datta Road of Churihatta, where plastic materials and dyes were kept in piles under the banner of The Color Company.
Earlier on March 4, taskforce disconnected the utility services of the building along with 29 more buildings of Nazirabazar, Siddiqbazar, Hazaribagh, Tatibazar and Chawkbazar area for preserving chemicals and flammable substances. But, most of the traders have again returned to the previous spots managing some unscrupulous officials of DSCC, locals complained.
DSCC Chief Waste Management Officer Air Commodore Md. Zahid Hossain said, “Five teams of taskforce disconnected utility services from 102 buildings for preserving chemicals and gave warning to 97 buildings’ owners. But, the area gets back its previous feature-shortly due to lack of formal surveillance.”
Major Shakil Newaz, Director of Fire Service and Civil Defense (Operation and Maintenance) said, “Some 72 new markets and buildings have been detected which are highly vulnerable to fire.”
When contacted for comment on the issue DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon told the Bangladesh Post that the city corporation alone is not responsible for monitoring the compliance of chemical stocking safety. Local residents should also be aware about the fatalities of any fire disaster.