Govt’s negligence, incompetence responsible for Sitakund fire: BNP

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has blamed the negligence and inability of government for the deadly fire at BM Container Depot in Sitakund.

“Our meeting thinks the government's negligence, lack of coordination and incompetence are responsible for the horrific accident at BM Container Depot in Sitakund,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office on the outcomes of a virtual meeting of BNP standing committee members held on Monday night, he also said all-pervasive corruption, lack of accountability and incapability of the government have resulted in so many deaths and colossal damage.

The BNP leader said there are some rules and regulations and monitoring authorities to prevent such incidents and accidents. “Unfortunately, no one monitors these. Those who have the responsibility to ensure coordination and take the official concerned to the task are not properly discharging their duties. That is why these accidents are happening."

Since the government has no accountability to people and the parliament, he said the government-backed officials and the different authorities concerned are working as per their wish without being accountable to the government.

"The state is not functioning and its various institutions are not working. I often say that it has become a failed state. Because the state is not functioning, the machinery is not functioning and no one is accountable for what they are doing. That is why this situation has now been created.”

He said a government having accountability to people is now necessary to get Bangladesh back on the right track.

Fakhrul said the BNP standing committee meeting demanded the immediate formation of an investigation committee comprising neutral experts from the relevant field to unearth the main reasons behind the fire incident and identify those responsible for it.

He also called upon the government to bring the culprits to be identified by the investigation to justice and ensure adequate compensation for the family members of those killed and injured.

Referring to the report on the non-renewal of the BM Container Depot license, the BNP leader said the murder charges should be brought against its owners.

Fakhrul said the standing committee entrusted its member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury with the responsibility to stand by the families of the victims and the injured in the blaze.