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OLD DHAKA CHEMICAL WAREHOUSES

How many must die before their relocation?

Over 1,500 plastic and chemical factories and warehouses
Arifur Rahaman Tuhin with Md Solamain Salman
16 Aug 2022 00:00:00 | Update: 16 Aug 2022 09:55:30
How many must die before their relocation?
Smoke coming out of the plastic factory in Chawkbazar where 10 firefighting units are working to douse the fire which broke out around Monday noon. — Courtesy Photo

Old Dhaka, a densely populated area of the capital city, has now become a death trap for its residents because of the frequent fire incidents that have taken many lives over the years.

The latest incident took place on Monday when a fire gutted a multi-storey building, which housed a plastic factory and a restaurant, in the Chawkbazar area and killed at least six people.

The people of the area are mainly at risk because many residential and commercial buildings are being used as chemical factories and warehouses. Currently, there are around 1,500 illegal chemical factories and warehouses in this part of the city.

After every major fire incident, the government pledges to relocate the risky factories and warehouses but that has not happened yet. In the meantime, fires one after another are killing people and destroying properties.

Earlier this year, the High Court had asked authorities concerned to submit a progress report regarding the relocation of the chemical warehouses. The report is yet to be submitted and the situation remains unchanged.

Under the circumstances, the rights and green activists are now asking — how many people must die for the authorities to actually relocate the chemical warehouses from the oldest and original part of the bustling capital city?

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), told The Business Post, “A single commitment on this issue is yet to be kept. I don’t understand why the government is delaying the relocation initiative. People are dying because of apathy, negligence and mismanagement.”

“The High Court had asked the authorities to submit a list of all warehouses in Old Dhaka but that has not happened yet. The people of this area are being deprived of their right to live. Who will take responsibility for their deaths?” she asked.

Sources say the Industries Ministry expects the temporary relocation process to start at the end of this year and permanent relocation is likely to start at the end of the ongoing financial year of 2022-23.

What’s on the cards?

According to Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) officials, around 1,500 chemical warehouses are currently doing business illegally in the heavily crowded Old Dhaka.

On June 3, 2010, a massive chemical warehouse fire killed more than 120 people in the Nimtoli area of Old Dhaka.

After that incident, facing backlash from the rights and green activists and general people, the government promised to take steps to relocate such warehouses.

Several probe bodies were also formed to find out the causes of the fire and suggest measures to stop the recurrence of such incidents in the area. Despite the initiatives, the relocation process did not see light even after 12 years of the Nimtoli tragedy.

Meanwhile, the chemical warehouses and plastic factories in the area have continued their operations, leading to frequent fires and causalities over the years.

The activists again raised their voices for the relocation after the Churihatta fire tragedy on February 20, 2019, which killed over 70 people and left dozens wounded.

Five days after that incident, according to ministry sources, the government had planned to temporarily relocate the warehouses keeping deadly and explosive chemicals to Tongi and Shaympur areas within six months. The government also planned to set up a permanent chemical warehouse in Munshiganj.

Since then, three and a half years have passed but the authorities are yet to relocate the warehouses despite frequent fires.

Talking to The Business Post, Industries Secretary Zakia Sultana claimed the relocation process is being delayed by some inter-ministerial and local problems.

“But we expect to start the process to temporally relocate warehouses to Shaympur and Tongi after this December and the process of setting up the necessary establishments in these two areas is now at the final stage,” she said.

“The Department of Explosives generally oversees the chemical-related issues but the government has given us the responsibility and we are committed to properly implementing it,” she added.

Delayed plans

According to sources, at first, the government had planned to set up a permanent chemical warehouse in Keraniganj, on the outskirts of Dhaka city, and a project plan was passed on October 12, 2018. BSCIC was supposed to implement it.

However, later, the government chose Munshiganj to set up the permanent chemical warehouse and the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council in April 2019 allocated Tk 1,615 crore for this project.

BSCIC then acquired 310 acres of land on the bank of Ichamati River in Munshiganj and aimed to relocate 1,900 chemical warehouses. The project’s deadline expired in July this year but the acquired land is still under the water. The government recently extended the project deadline till July next year.

BSCIC, however, claims that 70 per cent of land development work and 50 per cent of wall development work have been completed.

Project Director Hafizur Rahman, also the deputy general manager of BSCIC, told The Business Post that the relocation progress got delayed because of the change in location.

“In the rainy season, this whole area gets submerged and we had to stop work during monsoon. We will resume the development works after the water does down. We believe that businesses will get their plots within the deadline,” he said.

“We have already secured all necessary permits, and after getting the plots, warehouse owners will be able to do business here without any hassle,” he added.

Warehouse owners question relocation

Meanwhile, despite the government’s relocation pledge after every fire, owners of Old Dhaka warehouses claim that the authorities concerned did not contact them.

The traders also said they will not shift from Old Dhaka if the government does not allocate plots to them on time sector-wise.

“We are ready to move but where will we go? Our business involves many types of chemicals. If the government relocates us, they will have to [meet necessary requirements to] set up separate warehouses in different areas. Otherwise, we will not leave the city,” a senior leader of the Bangladesh Chemical and Perfumery Merchant Association told The Business Post, requesting anonymity.

He said, “The government should set up a warehouse in Savar for tannery chemical owners, another in Tongi for garments and one in Narayanganj for dyeing. If we can’t do business properly, why will we move from our current location?”

He claimed the government did not contact them about the relocation process. But Industries Ministry and BSCIC officials claim they made the plan after discussing it with the stakeholders.

They said the facilities at the temporary warehouses at Tongi and Shaympur will be much better than in Old Dhaka. Besides, the permanent warehouse in Munshiganj will also be well facilitating.

“When we made the plan, business leaders were present at the meeting and we collected the list through them. There is no chance of a miscommunication,” said Project Director Hafizur.

BELA’s Syeda Rizwana said, “The businessmen are bound to obey the government’s decision. The relocation aims to save lives. There is no chance to disagree with the relocation process for their benefit.”

 

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