Investigators find Chittagong DAP factory GM, engineer responsible for gas leak

A Chittagong district administration probe has found of two officials of the DAP fertiliser factory at Anwara responsible for the ammonia gas leak that occurred last week.

The investigators say the factory's General Manager (Management) Noqibul Islam and Deputy Chief Engineer (Power) Dilip Kumar Barua 'were negligent in carrying out their duties'.
 
They have recommended departmental action against the two and suggested their withdrawal, the district's Deputy Commissioner Mejbah Uddin has said.
 
He spoke to reporters on Wednesday after the three-member investigation team led by Additional District Magistrate Mominur Rashid submitted their report.
 
More than 50 people from the area where the DAP factory is situated and elsewhere had fallen sick after inhaling the ammonia leaked from its tank.
 
The report said the 500-tonne capacity tank had 340 tonnes of gas. "The ammonia tank had five types of safety instruments, but all of them were out of order."​
 
Five recommendations were also made in the report to improve the factory management, inter-departmental coordination and ensure transparency in the employees' work and accountability.
 
Gas leaking from the factory, near the bank of Karnaphuli, on Aug 22 night had spread to the other bank of the river.
 
While many people were hospitalised, the ammonia also affected trees and water bodies.
 
The leaves of trees and bushes in a one square kilometre radius turned yellow.
 
The leaves of over 200 trees in and around the factory had also been found curled and bushes and grass along the streets paled as well.
 
All the fish in a nearby private project died while the water of the pond turned reddish.
 
The probe team was formed a day after the incident took place.
 
Meanwhile, another investigation committee formed by the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) submitted its findings on Sunday.