Chemical Warehouses: DSCC drive to begin next week

A drive against chemical warehouses which pose potential fire hazards will be conducted from next week, to make Old Dhaka free from risks of fire.

The decision was made at a stakeholders' meeting at Nagar Bhaban, with Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sayeed Khokon in the chair.

“We will form a team before starting the drive, comprising representatives of different business organisations related with chemical goods, the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Department of Environment, DSCC and Fire service and Civil Defence,” said the mayor.

He said the team will work to find the warehouses, factories, organisations or shops, which have any of the 20 flammable and risky chemicals in the old part of the city, and take immediate action against them.

If the monitoring team does not find anything like this in a shop or factory, those will be given trade licence immediately, the mayor said.

Since last year, DSCC has suspended issuing or renewal of trade licence to any traders who do business of chemical items.

FBCCI President Md Shafiul Islam Mahiuddin in the meeting assured the mayor to provide all kinds of cooperation from their side.

He also urged traders to keep their flammable items outside residential areas, so those do not pose any threat to people.

Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence Brig Gen (retd) Ali Ahmed Khan said people become aware only when an incident happens.

The traders should shift their chemical storage facilities to an open space outside the city temporarily as long as they are not rehabilitated, to keep people safe from fire accidents, he said.