Unplanned air-conditioners, structures increase risks: PM

The construction of structures without an approved design and the unplanned installation of air-conditioners in mosques without adequate power supply capacity will only increase the risk of accidents, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, report agencies.
"What happened in Narayanganj was very unfortunate. We formed a probe panel to find what led to the explosions. Experts visited the scene to collect samples to find out how it happened," Hasina said in parliament on Sunday.
The Prime Minister said this joining the discussion on a condolence motion brought in the House expressing profound shock at the demise of two sitting MPs-Advocate Sahara Khatun and Israfil Alam- as well as former President of India Pranab Mukherjee and some other personalities.
Twenty-four people, including a child, have succumbed to their injuries after six air-conditioners exploded at the Baitul Salat mosque in Narayanganj on Friday.
The Fire Service authorities believe gas that accumulated inside the mosque after pipeline leaks may have triggered the blasts.
"It's deplorable that the explosion took place at a time when the worshippers were praying in the mosque. Six air-conditioners were installed in such a small place. Also, we heard that the mosque was constructed on a gas pipeline. Usually, no construction is allowed in a place where a gas pipeline is installed," said Hasina.
"Nobody should permit such a construction because it is risky. Now we'll investigate how it happened."
Sheikh Hasina said said it is essential to oversee whether mosques are constructed in the country maintaining the due designs and with permission from relevant authorities so that such incidents do not happen again.
"Now air-conditioners are being installed in the country's mosques in an unplanned way or mosques are built anywhere [without planning]. Now it's absolutely essential to see if the place is suitable to construct a structure or permission is taken from appropriate authorities or its design is formulated accordingly. Or else, such incidents (like Narayanganj mosque blast) might recur anytime," she told Parliament. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury moved the condolence motion in the House at the beginning of the 9th session of the 11th parliament. Later, the House unanimously adopted the condolence motion.
Sheikh Hasina said the government has already formed a committee to ascertain the reason why the deadly blast in the Naryanganj mosque took place.
She said the government has taken all the necessary measures for the treatment of those injured in the deadly blast.
She prayed for the salvation of the departed souls, expressed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members and wished speedy recovery of the injured
Recalling the valiant role of Sahara Khatun during the 2009 BDR mutiny, the Prime Minister said the incident occurred within 52 days after Awami League formed the government in 2009 and those who could not come to power at that time were behind the mutiny.
Noting that BNP and some other quarters spread many rumours many times over the BDR mutiny, she said, "We'd just formed the government. It has no point that we, forming the government, can carry out such an incident that would create an abnormal situation in the country."
Among the army officers killed in the BDR mutiny, 33 belonged to Awami League-minded families, she said.
Hasina said when Awami League came to power with majority in the 2008 general election, those who had made ill-efforts to thwart all things carried out this incident. "Truth must come out one day."
She said Sahara Khatun went to Philkhana risking her life to receive the arms surrendered by the mutineers and rescue the stranded officers and their families."We saw her courage during the BDR mutiny."
About Israfil Alam, the Prime Minister said he was very brilliant. "We thought he would be a good parliamentarian in the future. We lost a good parliamentarian of the future (at his death)," she said.
Recalling Pranab Mukherjee, Hasina said he was a true friend of Bangladesh and always stood beside Bangladesh and for the wellbeing of its people.
When she and her sister had to stay in India as refugees, Hasina said they got the feeling of a family and dear ones from the family of Pranab Mukherjee. Alongside the Prime Minister, a number of MPs across the board joined the discussion.