They claimed this while speaking at the roundtable titled “Chawkbazar Tragedy and Follow-up” organized by Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujon) at Jatiya Press Club in the capital on Saturday.
Sujon Secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar said that two former ministers had accused each other just after the incident. “It means that it is the failure of the politicians and the government officials. The victims lost their lives due to the negligence of the government officials and the government organizations in performing their duties properly to solve the problems of the citizens,” he said.
Badiul Alam further said that if the parliament became active, the standing committee of the house could have enquired the incident to find out who was responsible in the Nimtoli fire incident. “Then the government officials were forced to implement the recommendations on the fire incident,” he added.
Noted writer and columnist Syed Abul Maksud said that the chemical businessmen are being blamed only. “As a result, the main accused are spared their liability,” he opined.
“Permanent camp should be set up in Old Dhaka to monitor the problems and to solve these permanently,” he said urging the government to form a cell incorporating members from Rajuk, City Corporations, Public Housing ministry and explosive department.
Dhaka University Professor Robayet Ferdous said that there is no accountability present in the country. “State’s concerned organisations cannot avoid responsibility of the fire incident. Why the 17 recommendations after Nimtoli fire incident were not implemented?”
Muhammad Jahangir read out the keynote paper and presented 13 recommendations in light of Churirhatta fire incident.
“The negligence and aloofness while in duty have been increased for not bringing the responsible government officials to books. So horrific incidents occur again and again,” he opined.
Iqbal Habib, an architect and member secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) said that the civil society of the country has become “dumb citizens society”. A country can’t run in this way and providing compensation instead of taking punitive steps must stop, he mentioned.
“What the city corporation and explosives department are doing? Why universities and UGC do not do research works on such burning issues?” he said.
Chemical businessman Muhammad Belayet Hossain said that we are ready to relocate from the old Dhaka if the government allocates land for us. “The government should build separate zones for the separate industry.”