Bam Gonotantrik Jote, an alliance of left-leaning parties, has said the fire incident at BM Inland Container Depot is nothing but the killing out of negligence.

Leaders of the alliance said this at a press conference held at Mukti Bhaban in city’s Paltan area on Wednesday. They made the press conference following their visit of the depot blast victims at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince read out the written statement in the press conference.

Mentioning that attempt is being to cover up the depot explosions as an “accident,” Ruhin said, “Various remarks are being made on the fire incident, terming the incident also as sabotage.”

This explosion is not just an accident but it is the killing out of negligence, he added.

The left alliance demanded the formation of a judicial inquiry committee to find the real cause of the incident. They also demanded to include private experts and doctors in that committee.

Prince said owners should be charged with murder, arrested and given exemplary punishment.

“Injured persons must be provided proper treatment, adequate compensation, job security, lifelong wages be given to those killed in the fire in accordance with Article 121 of the ILO Convention and rehabilitation of families must be ensured. Scientific steps must be taken to eliminate chemical contamination.”

Abdus Sattar, general secretary of United Communist League, said that this could not have happened if the government has the accountability to people.   

He said, “The country has turned a place of irregularities. The misrule of the current Awami League-led government has further aggravated these irregularities.”

“Owners and exploiters have made this irregularity a rule using this government as shields. People have to resist against this system.”

CPB president Mohammad Shah Alam, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (Marxist) central leader Manas Nandi and Workers Party (Marxist) leader Bidhan Das were present at the press conference.