Gas cylinders are being sold in at least 5,000 shops in Cumilla city including in the markets and shops of 18 Upazilas in the district. Most of the inflammable Gas Cylinder sales outlets have no permits or licences to sell those. The sales of those unlicensed gas cylinders are not being controlled even after several large-scale accidents.
It is learnt, due to the failure of the Gas Companies to connect the residential houses with gas lines, many residents are using the Cylinder gases for cooking and other household purposes. As a result, the dependency on LPG is increasing with an increased death risk.According to rules, to sell and store the gas cylinders, procuring a license from the Fire Service and the Explosives Department and the Department of Environment is mandatory. But, by defying the rules, traders are seen to sell the Gas Cylinders openly by managing some dishonest officials and employees of the concerned departments. Sources from the Department of Explosives informed, a retailer is allowed to store not more than 10 cylinders (bottles) for selling. In case of storing more than 10 cylinders, it is mandatory to procure licenses from the Department of Explosives. But, most of the shops in the district are seen to store 50 to 200 cylinders.
In the hats and markets of the Upazila, Gas cylinders are seen stored and sold even at the Pharmacy shops, Grocery shops, Pan shops, Stationary Shops, Tea stalls, and Electronics shops. None of those shops have any fire -extinguishing system.
According to a survey of the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defense, the number of accidents caused by the explosion of Gas cylinders was 894 in 2011. The causes of these accidents were mainly from the gas leakage. Due to faulty Hosepipes, Gas Regulators and valves, such accidents are occurred.
In 2009 the number of LPG users was 225,000 but the number has now increased to 40 lakh. Of these LPGs, 84 per cent are used for cooking purposes, 12 per cent are for industrial purposes and 4 per cent for vehicles. In 2009, the connection of gas through pipelines was suspended. However, some dishonest officials, contractors and employees of Cumilla Bakhrabaj Gas Distribution Company were making files of the previous years connecting gas lines in various residential buildings of Cumilla City, Chandpur, Feni and Noakhali against a huge sum of kickback.
Toufiqul Islam Bhuiya, Assistant Director of Cumilla Fire Service and Civil Defense informed, a mobile court will be conducted against the shops of the district which were selling gas cylinders without any permit. Khandker Musfiqur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of Cumilla informed mobile court will be conducted and the shops having no permit should be closed.
