Non-flammable chemical traders urge govt not to harass them
Friday, 5 November 2010
FE Report
Businessmen will resist any attempt to harass the non-flammable chemical traders of old Dhaka through launching special drives against them until further instruction of the government regarding the matter.
Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the country's apex trade body, gave the warning at a view exchanging meeting with the chemical traders in the city Thursday, mentioning that they would send letters to the authorities concerned to stop such drives immediately.
"We support drives against the flammable chemical traders, but not against the non-flammable chemical traders," said FBCCI president A K Azad, adding that such drives are harassing the businessmen.
If any drive is conducted, it must include representatives from the chemical traders and the chambers, he said.
As the traders have to face some bureaucratic tangles in getting fire licence, the authorities should stop the special drives until the bureaucratic tangles are removed, the association chief said.
A five-member committee has been formed, headed by the FBCCI vice-president and including representatives from Fire Service and Industries Ministry, to remove the barriers of obtaining fire licence, he added.
"The businessmen have shifted almost all the godowns of 20 flammable chemicals from the old Dhaka according to the government directives, but we are now in a critical situation for mobile court's drive," said Abdus Salam, president of Bangladesh Chemical and Perfumery Merchants' Association (BCPMA).
The businessmen are now in fear, as the mobile court is harassing them even for non-flammable chemicals, which are not included in the list of those 20 items, he said, adding that all chemicals are not flammable.
Abu Nayeem Md Shahidullah, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence, told the traders to apply through the chambers for easy processing of fire licence.
He also asked the business leaders to provide a list of the chamber members, chemical traders, and location of their warehouses for ensuring smooth process of licensing.
Earlier, the chemical traders demanded to include representatives from the chambers and the sector in the taskforce and mobile court.
They also demanded to issue fire licence for all warehouses and chemical shops, and stop awarding fines, if there is no flammable chemical in the godowns, as the mobile court drives are awarding penalty to the traders and even arresting them in absence of fire licence.
Businessmen will resist any attempt to harass the non-flammable chemical traders of old Dhaka through launching special drives against them until further instruction of the government regarding the matter.
Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the country's apex trade body, gave the warning at a view exchanging meeting with the chemical traders in the city Thursday, mentioning that they would send letters to the authorities concerned to stop such drives immediately.
"We support drives against the flammable chemical traders, but not against the non-flammable chemical traders," said FBCCI president A K Azad, adding that such drives are harassing the businessmen.
If any drive is conducted, it must include representatives from the chemical traders and the chambers, he said.
As the traders have to face some bureaucratic tangles in getting fire licence, the authorities should stop the special drives until the bureaucratic tangles are removed, the association chief said.
A five-member committee has been formed, headed by the FBCCI vice-president and including representatives from Fire Service and Industries Ministry, to remove the barriers of obtaining fire licence, he added.
"The businessmen have shifted almost all the godowns of 20 flammable chemicals from the old Dhaka according to the government directives, but we are now in a critical situation for mobile court's drive," said Abdus Salam, president of Bangladesh Chemical and Perfumery Merchants' Association (BCPMA).
The businessmen are now in fear, as the mobile court is harassing them even for non-flammable chemicals, which are not included in the list of those 20 items, he said, adding that all chemicals are not flammable.
Abu Nayeem Md Shahidullah, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence, told the traders to apply through the chambers for easy processing of fire licence.
He also asked the business leaders to provide a list of the chamber members, chemical traders, and location of their warehouses for ensuring smooth process of licensing.
Earlier, the chemical traders demanded to include representatives from the chambers and the sector in the taskforce and mobile court.
They also demanded to issue fire licence for all warehouses and chemical shops, and stop awarding fines, if there is no flammable chemical in the godowns, as the mobile court drives are awarding penalty to the traders and even arresting them in absence of fire licence.