Privately-owned BM Container Depot had been running without proper authorisation and certification required for storing and handling hazardous chemicals, found a study of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

Meanwhile its firefighting system was incapable of tackling chemical fires.

The depot authority obtained an "orange category" licence to store and handle containers and export-oriented goods like readymade garments and food items.

But it did not obtain a "red-category" licence from the Department of Environment or the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence, a prerequisite for storing chemicals.

The study was conducted on the deadly fire and blast at the inland container depot (ICD) at Sitakunda.

The CPD found alarming weaknesses in industrial safety but it was not limited to this particular ICD.

There were institutional and operational weaknesses across the value chain of dangerous chemicals from production to transportation, storage and shipment.

It found unclear or non-specified laws and regulations in dealing with such chemicals at different stages of the value chain and also institutional weaknesses in implementing these rules.

The CPD stressed on the need for establishing a comprehensive industrial framework for dangerous chemicals encompassing the whole value chain.

It also recommended adopting necessary amendments to rules related to handling of these chemicals concerning all stages of the value chain.

It recommended the monitoring institutions concerning industrial safety related to dangerous chemicals to regularly check the licencing, registration and certification and renewal of these documents.

The authorities include the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the Chattogram port, customs, navy, fire service, environment department and boiler authority.

Since a large number of authorities are involved with different roles and responsibilities, proper coordination need to be assured, recommended the study.

It recommended the need for a central authority to monitor the effective functioning of the laws, rules, protocols and other related compliances.

The CPD conducted the study after the deadly fire and explosion at BM Container Deport in Sitakunda on June 4.

In the incident, 51 people died, over 200 people were injured and assets worth $ 110 million were lost.

CPD Research Director Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, who jointly conducted the study titled "Industrial Safety Concerning Chemical and Hazardous Products Supply Chain: What Lessons We Learned from Chittagong ICD Blast?", presented its findings at a media briefing yesterday.

Bangladesh imports all 15 chemicals considered as hazardous according to different international accords. The volume of the import of some has been increasing.  

The study mentioned that safety protocols maintained by Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) with regard to hazardous chemicals seemed to be inadequate.

It recommended giving special attention to safety measures at the Chattogram port as it handles a majority of the imported hazardous chemicals.

While presenting the findings of the study, Moazzem said most of the ICDs were found to be non-compliant over different aspects while several continue to run without timely renewal of licences.

Ten of the 19 private ICDs including BM Container Depot set up diesel pumps within their compounds without availing no-objection certifications from Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, he said.

Some 13 ICDs do not have fire hydrants while the remaining ones started installing fire-extinguishing facilities after the BM fire, he added.

Since industrial use of chemicals as well as setting up of chemical manufacturing units are on the rise in the country, there is a heightened risk of related fires in the future, said Moazzem.

The supply chain of hazardous chemicals is linked to production, transportation, storage at the ICDs and shipment of these goods through the port, he said.

He underscored the need for focusing on safety concerns in handling such chemicals on every segment of the value chain.

He said protocols of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG), meaning the international code for the maritime transport of dangerous goods in packaged form, were not being followed in Bangladesh.  

Other than the navy and customs, no other certification providing and licencing authority has separate or specific clauses for handling hazardous chemicals, said Moazzem.

He stressed on the need for focusing on safety-related concerns of hazardous chemicals from an industrial safety framework point of view considering all important steps of the supply chain.

These include compliance with registration, licencing, certification, standardisation, a common set of protocols, compliance guidelines and standard operating procedures for management and operations considering occupational safety and health.

There are 20 ICDs in the country, including 19 privately-owned ones in Chattogram and a CPA-owned one in Kamalapur of Dhaka, with a storage capacity of 78,700 TEUs (twenty-­foot equivalent units).

The ICDs or off-docks are operated privately as an extension of the port terminal facility and handle containers over the import of 38 select items, all export containers and empty containers.