Remove chemical warehouses from residential areas
Demand environmentalists
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Old Dhaka Poribesh Unnayan Forum jointly form a human chain in front of Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University yesterday demanding eviction of chemical warehouses and factories from residential areas in old Dhaka. Photo: STAR
Environmentalists and non-government organisation activists yesterday categorically demanded the government to evict chemical warehouses and factories from residential areas in old Dhaka to ensure public safety. They also demanded to establish a separate industrial zone outside residential areas for the production, marketing and storage of chemical substances. They placed the demands at a citizens' rally styled “Stop deaths and destruction of assets by chemical fire: Remove chemical depots from residential areas” in front of Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University. Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Old Dhaka Poribesh Unnayan Forum jointly organised the function, says a press release. Fifteen months past the Nimtoli tragedy, the government is yet to take any effective measure to remove chemical warehouses from residential areas, said speakers at the rally. Though a government taskforce was formed, its activities remain in the dark due to unknown reasons. It seems that the government wants to protect the interests of some profit-mongering businessmen instead of the masses, they alleged. Such attitude of indifference by the government is forcing thousands of people to live with the high risk of another tragedy, they said. Their other demands include -- strong government monitoring on the chemical trade, punishment to those running such trade without necessary licenses, widening streets so that fire fighters can rush to the scene of fire swiftly and setting up of fire hydrants at every locality in the city. BAPA General Secretary Dr Abdul Matin chaired the function where Citizen Rights Movement Secretary General Tushar Rehman also spoke.
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