Chemical factories cram Old Dhaka

Human chain by NGOs seeks immediate removal

At least 850 chemical factories are illegally operating in the capital, with the majority of them concentrated in densely populated areas of Old Dhaka. These flammable chemical factories, including plastic and polythene workshops, are running without any licence or Department of Environment (DoE) certificate, sources said. Poribesh Bachao Andolan (Poba), Purano Dhaka Nagorik Uddyog, Adi Dhakabashi Forum, Buriganga Punroddhar Committee and Jubo Dhaka Foundation jointly organised a human chain yesterday, in front of ‘Nimtali Chata Masjid’, to press for their demand for immediate removal of all the hazardous factories and godowns from Old Dhaka.
Despite a government move to shift these chemical godowns and factories, these have not yet been shifted to safer places in the last six years. The old part of the city remains a hub of small industries even in the absence of proper roads and open spaces.
These areas do not even have a space for children to play or people to relax in. Residential apartments, commercial buildings, industrial units, chemical godowns, hospitals and educational institutions are crammed together here. More than 150 buildings in the city’s old part have been declared unfit for living and prone to earthquake or high winds, but have not yet been dismantled. Against this backdrop, green activists and Amra Dhakabashi have demanded that all the hazardous industries, shops and chemical godowns be immediately removed from this part of the city to preclude serious accidents. They said Old Dhaka should be transformed into a planned urban sector with public service facilities like sewerage, water supply and fire services.
“Stern action should be taken against owners of chemical godowns and factories in densely populated areas in Old Dhaka under the Environment Conservation Act, 1995,” Abdus Sobhan, general secretary of Poribesh Bachao Andolan, told The Independent yesterday.
He said there is no scope to operate any chemical shop or godown in residential areas under the environment Act. “An integrated approach taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dhaka South City Corporation and the Directorate of Explosives is required to relocate these dangerous chemical factories and godowns from Old Dhaka to a safer place,” Kazi Sarwar Imtiaz Hashmi, additional director general of the DoE, told The Independent yesterday.

Chemical factories cram Old Dhaka

Human chain by NGOs seeks immediate removal

At least 850 chemical factories are illegally operating in the capital, with the majority of them concentrated in densely populated areas of Old Dhaka. These flammable chemical factories, including plastic and polythene workshops, are running without any licence or Department of Environment (DoE) certificate, sources said. Poribesh Bachao Andolan (Poba), Purano Dhaka Nagorik Uddyog, Adi Dhakabashi Forum, Buriganga Punroddhar Committee and Jubo Dhaka Foundation jointly organised a human chain yesterday, in front of Nimtali Chata Masjid, to press for their demand for immediate removal of all the hazardous factories and godowns from Old Dhaka. Despite a government move to shift these chemical godowns and factories, these have not yet been shifted to safer places in the last six years. The old part of the city remains a hub of small industries even in the absence of proper roads and open spaces. These areas do not even have a space for children to play or people to relax in. Residential apartments, commercial buildings, industrial units, chemical godowns, hospitals and educational institutions are crammed together here. More than 150 buildings in the citys old part have been declared unfit for living and prone to earthquake or high winds, but have not yet been dismantled. Against this backdrop, green activists and Amra Dhakabashi have demanded that all the hazardous industries, shops and chemical godowns be immediately removed from this part of the city to preclude serious accidents. They said Old Dhaka should be transformed into a planned urban sector with public service facilities like sewerage, water supply and fire services. Stern action should be taken against owners of chemical godowns and factories in densely populated areas in Old Dhaka under the Environment Conservation Act, 1995, Abdus Sobhan, general secretary of Poribesh Bachao Andolan, told The Independent yesterday. He said there is no scope to operate any chemical shop or godown in residential areas under the environment Act. An integrated approach taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dhaka South City Corporation and the Directorate of Explosives is required to relocate these dangerous chemical factories and godowns from Old Dhaka to a safer place, Kazi Sarwar Imtiaz Hashmi, additional director general of the DoE, told The Independent yesterday.