At least 136 people were killed and over 1,000 people were injured in separate small and big explosions across the country including the capital in last three years.
Experts say, the trend of breaking the rules of explosives laws and non-compliance with rules for storage of flammable materials among common people and businessmen is causing such incidents repeatedly.
Besides, there is negligence and indifference in the responsibility of government regulatory agencies. The National Human Rights Commission has repeatedly termed such blasts as a threat to the right to life.
According to Fire Service and Civil Defence statistics, at least 136 people were killed and over 1,000 were injured in 334 explosions from January 2020 to March 8 this year. Many of the injured survived but suffered permanent disabilities.
Dr Md Easir Arafat Khan Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering (BUET) said every incident of explosion needs to be properly investigated and action taken.
He said, there should be more awareness about home, factory godowns and places where flammable materials are stored. Factories and government agencies should also have skilled manpower.
On June 4 in 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 upazila in Chattogram, just half a kilometre from the fresh explosion site. None of the eight accused in the case have been arrested. They are now on bail.
Six people were killed and over 25 injured in an explosion at an oxygen plant in Chattogram's Sitakunda upazila on March 4.
There are complaints about the safety of the factory and the lack of awareness of the authorities. The investigation committee formed by the Chattogram district administration felt that the owners were negligent in ensuring the safety of the factory.
Every day there are explosions happening in offices, courts, homes, small and big factories, shopping malls, markets, chemical godowns and garages in the country.
According to the fire service, the explosion is due to faults in gas lines, factory boilers, gas cylinders, AC compressors. Apart from this, explosions are occurring one after the other due to non-rectification of faults in electrical equipment where flammable materials are kept.
More than 50 worshippers sustained burn injuries at a mosque in Fatullah in Narayanganj when six air conditioners exploded inside the prayer hall where gas had accumulated from a leaked pipe. An electric spark caused by switching on the air conditioners left 32 people dead on September 4 in 2020.
At least 12 people including a child was killed and more than 100 people were injured in an explosion that took place near Aarong Showroom in Moghbazar Wireless Gate area in the capital on June 27 in 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 crossing in the capital on Sunday morning.
In all these incidents, the district administration, fire service, city corporation, department of explosives have formed separate committees and recommended some things every time, but no one is following any of the recommendations.
At least 71 people lost their lives in a devastating explosion originating from chemicals illegally stored in Wahed Mansion in Old Dhaka three years ago.
The fire service has complained that due to the continuous negligence of various company owners and common people, explosions are happening one after the other this year as well.
The bomb disposal team of DMP's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC) visited the two sites. According to CTTC that the blast at Science Lab and the blast at Siddique Bazar are similar. Again, Moghbazar explosion of 2021 is also similar to these two. All these buildings somehow accumulated methane gas that required an electric spark to cause the explosion.
The National Human Rights Commission termed continuous blasts in different areas of the country as a threat to the right to life.
A proper investigation is needed as to what caused such an explosion, why so many people lost their lives. Chattogram Sitakunda, Dhaka's Science Lab, now Siddique Bazar explosions. Detectives should also see if these incidents are an indication of anything.
