Titas's faulty gas lines: Negligence of authorities dangerous
Use of natural gas as fuel has turned risky in Bangladesh as gas explosion is causing fire accidents, casualties and damage to properties on regular basis. In some previous cases, the primary source of fire that caused several fatal accidents was an explosion either of gas cylinders or Titas gas supply lines. The prominent examples were 124 deaths at the Nimtali inferno in 2010, 71 at Churihatta of Chwakbazar in 2019 and the latest 37 at a Narayanganj mosque in September 2020.
Besides such big tragic incidents, fire accidents, casualties or burn injuries and damages occur due to gas explosion in somewhere in the country round the year. Despite the frequent accidents, there is a lack of security measures by the authorities concerned.
A Prothom Alo report published on 15 March quotes Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence officials, saying that gas explosions were the primary reasons for at least 94 fire incidents that occurred solely in Narayanganj district during January-December in 2020, leaving at least 44 people dead. Among the incidents, a single gas explosion at the Baitus Salat Jame Masjid on 4 September 2020 had left 37 people dead and three others burnt. It was suspected that leakages at the Titas gas supply line had caused the fatal accident.
Eight people including four officials of Titas were found liable for the accident and, therefore, temporarily suspended from the Fatullah regional office. Soon after, all of them were reinstated in their job. Titas’s Narayanganj-based officials recently informed Prothom Alo that the majority of the employees and officials have been transferred.
On the other hand, a police investigation found negligence by the Titas staff members behind the explosion. Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police submitted a charge sheet accusing 29 people.
Moreover, a probe body formed by the Narayanganj deputy commissioner placed an 18-point recommendation to avert future explosions and fire incidents. But no initiative has been taken to implement the recommendations. Titas’s Narayanganj officials have admitted that the gas supply lines under their jurisdiction might develop leakages. But they seldom repair or replace the risky supply lines.
Titas officials claim that they take steps immediately after getting any complaints. But the reality was otherwise in the case of the the Baitus Salat Jame Masjid explosion. Local people many times informed Titas officials that they had smelt gas leakages around the neighourhoods. But Titas officials paid no heed to their concerns. They became serious only after the media outlets had carried the news of 37 deaths from explosion.
Not only in Narayanganj, leakages of Titas’s gas pipes also pose risk in many areas. Titas authorities should repair the supply network before any explosion or fire incident in the future.