Explosions kill 136, injure 1,000 others injured in 3 years

Jehangir Hussain

At least 136 people were killed and over 1,000 others were injured in separate small and big explosions that occurred across the country including the capital in last three years.

Experts blamed the trend of non-compliance of the explosives laws for keeping inflammable materials by common folks and businessmen for the occurrences.

They also held negligence and indifference on the part of the government’s law enforcement  agencies for the situation.

The National Human Rights Commission  repeatedly termed the blasts as threats to right to life and property.

According to Fire Service and Civil Defence statistics, at least 136 people were killed and over 1000 were injured in  334 explosions that occurred from January 2020 to  March 8, 2023.  Many of the injured survived but were  paralysed.

Dr Md Easir Arafat Khan Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering (BUET) said that every incident of explosion needs to be properly investigated for taking action.

He called for raising public awareness regarding storing inflammable materials in factories warehouses.

He said that factories and government agencies should have skilled manpower to deal with inflammable materials as well as with the post explosion situation.

On June 4, 2022, at least 51 people, including 10 firefighters, were killed and more than 200 injured in a fire and explosion at BM Container Depot in Sitakunda, Chattogram, just half a km from another explosion site.

None of the eight accused in the case were arrested as they are free on bail.

 At least six people were killed and over 25 others --injured in an explosion at an oxygen plant in Sitakunda upazila, Chattogram  on March 4.

There are complaints about safety awareness among factory owners.

The investigation committee formed by the Chittagong district administration felt that the owners were negligent in ensuring safety in their factories.

Explosions are taking place at offices, courts, homes, small and big factories, shopping malls, markets, chemical warehouses and garages across the country.

According to the fire service, explosions occurred due to faults in gas lines, factory boilers, gas cylinders, AC compressors as well as due to non-rectification of faults with  electrical equipment where inflammable materials are stored.

At least 32 people were killed and over 50 other suffered burn injuries when six air conditioners at a mosque in Fatullah, Narayanganj exploded on September  4, 2020.

At least 12 people including a child were killed and more than 100 others -- injured in an explosion that took place near Aarong Showroom near the Moghbazar Wireless Gate in the capital on June 27, 2021.

At least three people were killed and nearly 70 injured as parts of a three-storey building collapsed and caught fire following an explosion near the Science Laboratory in the capital on Sunday morning.

In all these incidents, the district administration, fire service, city corporations, department of explosives have formed separate committees and recommended actions none of which have been taken until now.

At least 71 people lost their lives in an  explosion originating from chemicals illegally stored in Wahed Mansion in Old Dhaka three years ago.  

The fire service complained that due to the continuous negligence by company owners and common people, explosions are occurring.

The bomb disposal team of DMP's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC) visited two sites. According to  CTTC the blasts near the Science Lab, at Siddique Bazar building and near the Aarong showroom at Moghbazar were similar.

The National Human Rights Commission termed continuous blasts in different areas of the country as threats to life and property.

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