Hearing of the writ petition likely on Thursday, says lawyer

A writ petition was filed with the High Court seeking its directive to the authorities concerned to pay compensation of Tk2 crore to each deceased's family and Tk50 lakh to each injured victim of depot fire at Sitakunda in Chittagong.

Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab, barrister Mohammad Kawsar, barrister Mohammad Majeedul Quader and AKM Faisal Haque filed the writ petition on behalf of Law and Life Foundation and CCB Foundation on Wednesday.

The bench of Justice Mojibur Rahman Mia is expected to hear the writ petition on Thursday, said lawyer Humayun Kabir Pallab.

The writ petition sought the formation of an inquiry committee comprising of explosives experts, and focusing on appropriate action against the culprits and necessary directives for providing the compensation.

Home secretary, disaster management and relief secretary, industries secretary, commerce secretary, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence, deputy commissioner of Chittagong, chairman and managing director of Smart Group, BM Container Depot were made respondents in the writ petition.

As per the writ petition, at least 50 people were killed and more than 100 injured in a fire at BM Container Depot in Chittagong’s Sitakunda on June 4.

The number of casualties in the fire increased due to the stockpiling of flammable chemicals by BM Container of Smart Group without disclosing it to the appropriate authorities. 

Many firefighters were killed and injured as the fire service did not have the necessary information on the chemicals which were stored there, it added.

Besides, firefighters are unable to control fires caused by chemical due to lack of necessary training and modern equipment, it said.

Earlier, the Law and Life Foundation Trust and the CCB Foundation had served separate legal notices seeking compensation for the victims, said Barrister Pallab.