Sitakunda fire: Probe in slow lane, depot owners untouched

Highlights

• Six probe bodies formed
• None of them has yet submitted report
• No action has been taken against depot owners despite gross irregularities in the management
• Police filed a case accusing eight depot employees of negligence
• Police have not arrested any of the accused yet

Sixteen days into the devastating fire at the BM Container Depot in Chattogram's Sitakunda, none of the six probe bodies formed by the administration and other government agencies has submitted their investigation report.

No visible legal action has yet been taken, except for the filing of a single case, in connection with the incident that has so far ended the lives of 49 people with many of the over 250 injured still groaning in anguish.

Even though allegations run rife that rules were violated in the management of the private facility, the administration is yet to take action against the owners. On the other hand, the import and export of hydrogen peroxide have almost come to a standstill following the incident.

Apart from causing casualties, the fire and its subsequent explosions at BM Container Depot on the night of 4 June also damaged installations in the surrounding area.

The investigative agencies have initially identified that the fire turned into a nightmarish incident mainly because of storing hydrogen peroxide at the depot without following the rules. Because of this chemical, rescue operators also had to face a lot of hardship to bring the fire under control.

BM Container Depot has been operating since 2011 under a Bangladesh-Netherlands joint venture. Hydrogen peroxide was also produced at the Al Razi Chemical Complex, a concern of Smart Group that is involved in the management of the container depot.

Irregularities galore

Authorities have to comply with certain national and international guidelines in storing hazardous goods in private container depots. Such goods have to be stored in containers at separate places. But, the BM Depot management did not follow the guidelines.

The Department of Explosives did not know about the storage of combustible substances either. Besides, there was no proper approval from the Department of Environment.

No fire drill was arranged at the depot in the pas t12 years.

There was no fire extinguishing system, including a fire hydrant, smoke cum heat detector, and safety committee, in place inside the depot. There were no trained employees to douse the fire either.

The electrical connection was left unexamined year after year.

On 28 November last year, a team comprising officials from different agencies at the behest of the Bangladesh Investment Development Board (Bida) in collaboration with the Department of Factory Inspection conducted an inspection at the depot.

Later on 8 February this year, the Department of Factory and Establishment Inspection sent a letter to the depot authorities instructing them to take action to address various shortcomings identified by the inspection team.

But the depot authorities allegedly did not pay heed to any of this.

Moreover, an unauthorised fuel station was set up inside the depot.

No action against owners

In spite of such gross irregularities in the management of the private depot, no action has yet been taken against its owners.

What is more, police have filed a case accusing eight employees of the depot, some of whom got injured in the incident, of negligence.

The accused are Depot Deputy General Manager (Operations) Nurul Akhter, Manager (Admin) Khaledur Rahman, Assistant Admin Manager Abbas Ullah, Senior Executive (Admin and Compliance) Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Assistant Manager (Inland Container Depot) Abdul Aziz, CFS In-charge Saiful Islam,  CFS Executive Nazrul Islam Khan, and General Manager (Sales and Marketing) Nazmul Akter Khan.

Among them, Nurul lost an arm in the accident, while 12% of Khaledur's body was burnt.

But, police have not arrested any of the accused yet.

Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Sitakunda Model Police Station, told The Business Standard, "The case is under investigation. Necessary action will be taken after the completion of the investigation. Action will be taken against those who are found negligent."

Delay in investigation

The Chattogram Divisional Commissioner's Office, district administration, the Chittagong Port Authority, factory and establishment inspection department, Chattogram customs authority, and fire service have formed separate committees to investigate the fire incident. But, none of them has yet submitted any report. Instead, they are getting their deadlines for report submission extended from time to time.

The Divisional Commissioner's office formed a 12-member committee headed by Additional Divisional Commissioner (Development) Mizanur Rahman asking the panel to submit a report within five working days. Later, the deadline was extended by another five days.

Mizanur Rahman told TBS that they would speak to the depot owners this Monday and would submit a report after that.

Badiul Alam, deputy director of the local government department, has been made the head of the nine-member investigation committee formed by the district administration. The committee was initially given seven working days to complete their investigation, but the deadline was later extended by another seven days.

Badiul Alam told TBS, "We have visited the accident site, the factory that produced hydrogen peroxide, and talked to the stakeholders. The report will be submitted within the stipulated time."

Meanwhile, the committee formed by the factory and establishment inspection department was initially given three working days to complete the investigation and later the deadline was extended by five days which also expired.

Shipan Chowdhury, assistant inspector general of factories and establishment inspection department and the head of the probe panel, said, "We could not start work on time because of the distribution of cheques by the Workers' Welfare Foundation. Workers who are undergoing treatment at hospitals are also being questioned. We need another week to submit the report."

The probe committees formed by the Chattogram customs house, the Chittagong Port Authority, and the fire service also have sought more time to complete their investigations.