Hazardous chemical warehouses will have to shift from Old Dhaka in March, mayor says

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is going to move out the hazardous chemical warehouses from the densely populated Old Dhaka.

After evicting the hawkers from the footpaths of Gulistan, Motijheel and adjacent areas, Mayor Sayeed Khokon says the warehouses have been asked to relocate from Mar 1.

He told a roundtable at Dhaka University on Thursday that the city corporation magistrates would launch the drive against the chemical warehouses on that day with the help of RAB and police.

There are many chemical warehouses in Old Dhaka, despite the area being heavily crowded. Accidents and fire at the storages often cause casualties and damage to properties.

A devastating fire at Old Dhaka's Nimtoli killed more than 100 people in 2010. Experts said chemical warehouses led the blazes in Nimtoli to intensify to the catastrophe.

Speaking about the recent fire in Gulshan's Dhaka North City Corporation Market, Mayor Khokon said a big fire generally makes the people curious about whether it was an act of sabotage or an accident.

"Most of the times the people think these are acts of sabotage," he said.

The mayor also said he thinks those incidents always remain a mystery to the people because the investigation reports are never made public.

He stressed the need for a change to end this practice.

"We should all take steps to bring the perpetrators to book and get exemplary punishment for them if a fire incident is found to be an act of sabotage," Khokon said.

"And if the incident is found to be an accident, proper measures should be taken to remove the doubts and confusion among the people by publishing the investigation report within the shortest possible period," he added.

Dhaka North Mayor Annisul Huq was also present among others at the meeting organised jointly by Dhaka University's disaster science and management department and Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Mayor Annisul has brushed aside the suspicion of DNCC Market traders that it was an act of sabotage.

The committee formed by police and fire service to investigate the incident has not submitted the report three weeks on.

Annisul said the fire service has limitations. According to him, 10,000 firefighters should man 50 fire stations in Dhaka, considering the capital's population. But there are only 500 firefighters at 12 stations in the city.

Mayor Khokon demanded that the fire service be brought under the city corporations' jurisdiction from the home ministry.

Disaster science and management department Chairman ASM Maksud Kamal moderated the meeting. Fire Service Director General Brig Gen Ali Ahmed Khan delivered the welcome speech.