Sarwar Uddin , Chittagong Bureau :
Without any health hazard protections , workers are collecting spilled furnace oil from Boalkhali khal of Chittagong .
Bangladesh Railway, East zone authority in cooperation of Local administration has engaged about 100 workers to collect the scattered spilled oil from the Boalkhali canal . Workers sources said they are working in exchange of good wages and these workers are not aware about the health hazards .Each worker is getting Tk.300 as wages per day and the wages are being received from concerned UP chairman, sources said. Without any safety measures, these workers are working hours after hours in the river and river sides by removing the oil mixed water hircine and grass .
Expert physicians fears of health problems of the workers including different types of skin diseases .A microbiology consultant of Chittagong Medical college Dr. Simanta Waddar told the New Nation that the injurious toxin of furnace oil may destroy the environment as well as serious health hazard elements of human body. He further said if any man remain engaged with these type of oil for long time , he may be affected with different skin and veneral diseases including Darmotazitis . He further fears that if the steam of the furnace oil enters in the human body, he may be affected even with deadly diseases.
He also suggests that every worker should wear gloves and masks during collection and immediately wash away the full body to remove the oil from skin. District administration has asked the railway authority to deploy medical team on the spot but yet to traced such team upto writing this report. While contacted civil surgeon of Chittagong said his office is not concerned with this incident.
Additonal Mechanical Engineer Md.Ramzan Ali told that due to inclement weather, work progress in rebuilding the collapsed railway bridge is hampered some extents and 60 percent already completed and railway communication will be revived from today.
Besides, local peoples are also collecting the furnace oil aimed at selling these to oil marketing company ‘s booth set up in Boalkhali spot area. A local sources said locals collected spilled oil about 100 liters from a pond of Azizia Mabudia Madrasa and these sold out to Jamuna Oil Company both there at Tk.6000 . A teacher of the Madrasa told that they picked up all fishes of the pond fearing epidemic death. Eye witnesses sources said fishes in the surrounding ponds seen die like epidemic .
Higher officials of different govt agencies visited the spot of incident on Monday.
Among others Divisional commissioner of Chittagong and chairman of Coordination committee Md. Abdullah, Deputy commissioner of Chittagong Mesbahuddin, Director General of Railway East Zone Mozammel Hoque, Boalkhali UNO Khondakar Nurul Hoque, Asstt. Commissioner of Land Dewan Md. Taju l Islam visited the site on Monday .
Mentionable that furnace oil laden rail oil wagon consists of 8 bogies met accident at rail bridge No.24 at Bengura of Boalkhali upazila on Chittagong -Dohazari rail track fell into Boalkhali canal collapsing bridge on Friday afternoon while crossing the bridge. Two bogies and loco engine plunged into khal which yet to be salvaged . The furnace oil of the bogies spilled in the river water which spread upto Karnaphuli river which may cause bio-diversity at large in the area.
