No chemical warehouse will be allowed in Old Dhaka, PM Hasina says

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has made it clear that chemical warehouses will not be allowed in the old part of Dhaka city.

"We won't accept any obstacle in this regard," she said on Thursday, adding: “However, we don’t want to ruin their (businessmen) business and so we are looking for a separate place for them.”

Hasina was speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation and 50 newly elected councillors of DNCC and Dhaka South City Corporation at the Prime Minister's Office in the city.

The businessmen, however, can keep their showrooms and sell their products there, she said.

DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon was also present during the programme.

Businesspersons recently obstructed a taskforce drives against chemical establishments, including warehouses, in Old Dhaka.

A total of 67 people died on the spot and many others sustained injuries during a devastating fire at Chalkbazar on the night of February 20. Four others later succumbed to their injuries taking the death toll to 71.

Experts say if it were not for flammable chemicals, the fire would not have been so devastating.

The chemical-fuelled Chawkbazar fire is the second largest tragedy in Old Dhaka, while the largest one took place at Nimtali in the same part of the capital claiming more than 100 lives in June 2010.