Staff Reporter :
Efforts to relocate inflammable chemical warehouse and factories from old Dhaka faced resistance again on Sunday.
Chemical traders and workers surrounded the taskforce members of the Dhaka South City Corporation for two hours at Shahidnagor during their drive to disconnect gas and electricity from holdings used as chemicals warehouses and factory.
A vehicle of Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd. (DPDC) was vandalized by the angry protesters during the blockade.
Witnesses said, a team of the taskforce led by Commodore Zahid Hasan, the Chief Waste Management Officer of the DSCC, started the drive at Shahidnagor around 12noon for the third consecutive day.
The team disconnected utility lines from three holdings after finding inflammable chemicals.
Later, during their inspection of a plastic factory in a holding in the area,the traders and workers started protest and surrounded them inside the holding.
Commodore Zahid Hasan and Subarna Shirin, Executive Magistrate of Dhaka district, among other officials were surrounded by the protesters.
The angry protesters blocked roads at Lalbagh. It led to stop plying of vehicles for one hour.
“We informed instantly to the Lalbagh Police Station. After two hours, Lalbagh Police rescued us. Then we disconnected utility services from those holdings,” said Commodore Zahid Hasan, the Chief Waste Management Officer of the DSCC.
Traders said, the decision was to relocate 29 identified inflammable chemicals, but now the task force disconnected warehouses storing other chemicals and plastic factories without giving us sufficient times to relocate.
DSCC officials said, five teams of task force took part in the eviction drive on the day.
They disconnected utility services from 13 holdings after finding inflammable chemicals and plastic factory insides.
Earlier, a team of taskforce faced obstacle from the traders on Saturday in Bakshi Bazar during the drive.
The task force disconnected utility services from 47 holdings since the drive started from Thursday.
The drive will continue till April 1.
