Old Dhaka fire could have been avoided, says Obaidul Quader

The deadly fire in Old Dhaka could have been avoided if proper monitoring was established after the tragedy in Nimtali, Obaidul Quader has said.

“The government cannot deny its responsibility, but those who involved in business, should also be aware. More than livelihood, their lives were at risk. They should have been careful,” said the general secretary of ruling Awami League on Friday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered the immediate removal of chemical warehouses in Old Dhaka and Dhaka South City Corporation has started to implement it, he said.

“Many of those who died left behind affluent families. Money can’t compensate their loss. But the government still took initiatives to provide humanitarian, financial aid and rehabilitation; the prime minister has taken these measures.”   

Quader spoke to the journalists when he went to visit the injured at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

An alternative to using gas cylinders must found for vehicles because of a recent hike in explosions, said the road transport minister.

Wednesday’s fire was triggered when a gas cylinder of a parked pickup truck exploded, which razed surrounding vehicles and then at least five buildings in the narrow Chawkbazar alley.

‘Wahed Mansion’, the four-storey building that suffered most damage, had a dozen stores for perfumes and plastic goods. The upper floors were for tenants. The neighbouring buildings also had similar setups.

Among the 67 killed, 24 were found at the bottom of the only staircase of Wahed Mansion. Rescuers found the charred bodies of the dead victims mangled together, including women and children.

Storing large amount of inflammable chemicals in the densely-populated part of the capital became a contentious issue after a similar blaze in Nimtali left more than a 1000 people dead in 2010.

“Whatever happened cannot be reverted. We have to learn from the loss,” he said. 

The factories and warehouses that were storing chemicals illegally should have been closed down, the minister admitted.

“We tried to do it. This is such a densely populated area and these chemical warehouses were occupying space. This could have been avoided with proper monitoring.”