The recent incidents of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder blasts in the country are taking the toll on human life while sending innumerable others with different degrees of burn injuries to the hospitals.
At least 10 people were killed and several dozens injured last year. In November alone, there were four huge cylinder blast incidents that took place in the capital.
On Monday at least three people suffered burns in Khulna city in a fire that started from a 'gas cylinder leak.'
Officer-in-Charge Sardar Mosharraf Hossain of Khalishpur Police Station said the fire broke out at the Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills Gate-2 area on the BIDC Road on Sunday night.
The three victims were identified as Anwara Begum, 50, Rifat, 8, and Zihad, 18. The three have been admitted to Khulna Medical College Hospital for treatment, police said.
At least 11 LPG companies are running business in the country on verbal permission from the authorities concerned, said State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid earlier.
"Fifty-five companies were given the primary go-ahead (to start marketing and distribution), while only five obtained the government approval," he added.
Meanwhile, at least 30 LPG gas company including Bashundhara LP Gas Ltd, Jamuna Gas Index LP GAS Ltd, BM LP Gas, Laugfs Gas (Bd) Ltd, Totalgaz, Omera LPG, JMI LPG / JMI Industrial Gas Ltd, (JIGL) SKS LPG (SKS LPG Bottling Plant), Navana LPG Ltd, G-Gas LPG (Energypac), Beximco Smart Cylinder Bin Habib Bd Ltd, Kleenheat Gas,
Premier LP Gas Ltd, Summit United Petrolieum Co Ltd and Syed Gas & Chemicals Ltd are running their business.
Cylinders filled with hydrocarbon based natural gas used in the vehicles, workshops and kitchens are potential time bombs- explosion of conventional bombs can be regulated while gas filled cylinders can explode anytime.
Experts have urged for setting up a policy by the government to maintain the safety standards in this sector. They are also encouraging the mass people to be cautious while buying and using the cylinders and to conduct regular health check-ups of the cylinders from a certified authority.
An eight year old child had been killed and six people had sustained burn injuries, in a gas cylinder explosion at Dhalpur in Jatrabari last month. The deceased was identified as Tahsin, 8. The injured were Shalmi Begum, 40, Aturi Begum, 50, Kajoly Begum, 25, Alamgir, 35, Shumon, 38, and Nishan, 16.
With the provision for import and export, the government has enacted a policy for establishing LPG bottling plant under both public and private initiatives.
"Before this policy, there was only provision for LPG import. With this policy, the import oriented LPG bottling plant establishment system of 2011 is abolished," an official of Energy and Mineral Resources Division said.
The recently enacted policy said that no person or organisation could import, export, establish, bottle, distribute or market any LPG without the permission of the government. Considering the limited energy resources and the continuing development of the country, the policy termed LPG as one of the most promising energy sources.
Under the circumstances, the government in principle has taken the decision to establish the LPG bottling plant to increase the use of LPG in household, automobile, small industries and as the raw materials for chemical and processing industries.
The government also forms the LPG bottling policy-2016 to safeguard the dwindling energy resources of the country as well as to ensure competitive market scenario.
The government can cancel the licence of any LPG plant or company by following the rules of the Act if it violates the rules and regulation.
After getting the licence, the organisation has to make a contract with state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) after taking the permission from the government to conduct the operation of the bottling plant.
No company will be able to market and distribute their products without their own brand cylinder. Meanwhile, several company market and distribute their products without their own brand cylinder.
Besides, the energy and mineral resources division, BPC, BSTI and any authority empowered by the division could check the quality of the LPG container.
The High Court has issued a rule on Monday asking the authorities to explain why they should not be directed to take safety measures to prevent deaths in gas explosions throughout the country.
