AS the call for relocating the warehouses of chemicals and inflammable goods from Old Dhaka gets louder, an Industries Ministry probe committee claimed that there was no chemical factory or warehouse at the scene of Wednesday’s devastating fire in Chawkbazar.
The report, signed by Additional Secretary of the Industries Ministry, mentioned that there was a warehouse of cosmetics products on the first floor of the building. It also mentioned that doctors said there was no sign of chemical burns on the patients. The charred bodies were burnt by “dry flame”. The probe committee visited the spot on Thursday and talked to witnesses, victims and locals about the cause of the fire. Besides, the committee talked with the victims at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
However, a team of firefighters on Friday found several hundred barrels and sacks of combustible and flammable substances stored in the basement of the four-storey Haji Wahed Mansion, the worst affected building. Pictures of the huge stockpile of chemicals, including several inflammable ones, were published in many newspapers.
Moreover CCTV footage of the fire clearly shows the blast occurred at Wahed Mansion, contrary to the statement given by DSCC South Mayor Khokon who stated that the police told him that a private car’s CNG cylinder was the cause of the accident.
The truth is that a culture of impunity lies behind the incidents. Between 2004 and 2018, at least 1,970 people have been killed in more than 2 lakh fire incidents across the country, according to Fire Service data. After almost every fire incident, especially the major ones, police filed cases or general diaries. In some cases, survivors have also lodged complaints. But the cases saw little progress and the victims never got justice.
The inactivity of the authorities concerned and the collusion of the house owners with the chemical company representatives to make some extra cash all combined lead to the present inflammable situation. The reticence of the authorities combined with the monetary gains of the local inhabitants all come together to ensure that the chemical warehouses never leave the Old Dhaka area.
