The massive fire at the BM Container Depot in Chittagong’s Sitakunda was the result of authorities not following international safety guidelines and concealing information about highly flammable substances on the premises.
A highly placed source of the Ministry of Shipping revealed the information to Dhaka Tribune on Monday.
BM Container Depot Ltd has been operating since the beginning of May 2011, and it is approximately 20km away from Chittagong port.
According to its website, the depot operates with modern ICD machinery and equipment such as reach stackers, empty container handlers, forklifts, cranes, prime movers, trailers, and more.
Most of the machinery and equipment is said to be imported from Japan, Sweden, Sri Lanka, and India. The website also claims that BM Container Depo is a global standard off-dock facility with advanced security systems and automation.
However, the mother ministry of Chittagong port claimed that the BN Depot does not execute the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code and the Internationale Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code inside their facility.
“It is required to maintain the IMGD and ISPS codes while operating chemical products in container depots. If these two codes were maintained properly by the authority in the compound, this inferno could have been avoided,” the sources said.
While visiting the damaged depot on Monday, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said: “The ISPS code was maintained at the depot. We will investigate if there was any negligence on the part of the depot authorities.”
The minister will also have a meeting with officials of Chittagong port after visiting the site.
The ISPS code provides a framework through which ships and port facilities can cooperate to detect and deter acts that pose threats to maritime security.
Meanwhile, the IMDG code was developed as an international code for the maritime transport of dangerous goods in packaged form, in order to enhance and harmonize the safe carriage of dangerous goods and to prevent pollution of the environment, according to the Internation Maritime Organization.
Responding to a question one of the top officials of the Shipping Ministry said, the BM Depot is a bonded warehouse, they can export or import any of 37 products which are listed by Bangladesh Customs.
“Depots are supposed to inform Bangladesh Customs about which products they are handling in their compounds. However, we think BM Container Depot had hidden the fact that they have inflammable chemicals in their facility.
We would not have lost so many firefighters trying to extinguish the fire if the information hadn't been kept secret," the source said.
However, the depot's owner, Smart Group Administrative General Manager, retired major Shamsul Haider Siddique on Monday said that as far as he was aware BM depot follows the ISPS code.
“However, I am not quite sure about the IMGD core, right now,” he told. He added that they are currently busy at Chittagong Medical College Hospital looking after the injured.
Chittagong Fire Service Deputy Director Anisur Rahman also told Dhaka Tribune: “We learned about the hydrogen peroxide containers at the depot long after the fire started. No one from the organization informed the rescuers about the highly inflammable and explosive chemical.”
Hydrogen peroxide is an antiseptic that is used in several sectors. It is notoriously flammable and generally bottled at high pressure. “Chemical fires like this are very difficult to put out. We are trying to douse it with foam and fog,” Anisur added.
He also complained that the number of fire extinguishers and water supply at the depot was inadequate. At least 450 people were injured in the fire that started on Saturday night.
The massive fire was brought under control after 25 hours, following frantic efforts of firefighters.
Around 25 units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence were reportedly working on the scene, while around 250 members of the Bangladesh Army army joined the rescue operations.
Three probe panels, including a nine-member local administration committee, were formed on Sunday to probe the incident.
Owners of BM Container Depot
BM Container Depot Ltd is a Netherlands-Bangladesh joint venture company.
A Dutch businessman named Bert Pronk is the chairman of the company, and a Bangladeshi businessman named Mostafizur Rahman is the managing director.
Mujibur Rahman and Shafiqur Rahman, siblings of Mostafizur Rahman, are also directors of BM Container Depot Limited. Mujibur Rahman is also the chairman of City Home Ltd.
Bert Pronk has jointly invested in various important industries in Bangladesh, including Chittagong Denim Mill Limited and BM Container Depot Limited.
Pronk has a long-standing business relationship with Mostafizur Rahman and his brothers.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
