500 factories, warehouses to be shifted from Old Dhaka: Taposh

Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh has said chemical warehouses and factories in Old Dhaka will be relocated to the industrial area in Shyampur.

“Around 500 factories and warehouses will be moved there within this year,” he told reporters after visiting the Chawkbazar fire scene in the capital on Wednesday.

The mayor said the fire scene is a waqf property and this area of the river basin should be a tourist spot.

No new commercial buildings had been approved there since 2018 but it had been filled with warehouses and factories, he said.

Taposh said the city corporation had conducted a combing operation and identified more than 1,924 chemical factories and warehouses in the area.

These buildings would be relocated gradually, he said.

Describing Monday’s fire as unfortunate, Taposh said the damaged building had no approval.

“We did not give approval to build the hotel and factory. Besides, how did the factory and hotel get gas and electricity connections?”

He said traffic congestion in the area is high and it is also densely populated. “Everyone is at great risk due to the various types of factories and warehouses here. These all are illegal.”

The mayor said all government organisations have to work together to deal with this problem, adding the law must be strictly followed.

“If these factories are not relocated, such accidents will continue to happen again and again.”

The fire broke out around midday on August 15. Around 2:20pm, it was brought under control by 10 firefighting units.

Firefighters recovered six bodies from the hotel in the building. The fire service also formed a five-member probe committee in this connection.