By AKM Moinuddin
Dhaka, Nov 4 (UNB) – Traders from the old part of Dhaka, engaged in chemical business, Thursday came down heavily on the government and alleged that the mobile courts are harassing and penalizing them without any valid reason.
They threatened to take to the streets by closing down their businesses if the “whimsical” activities of mobile courts are not stopped immediately. They demanded exemplary punishment to the magistrates who fined them and filed cases “without valid reasons.”
The chemical traders vented their anger and voiced the demands at a meeting held at the FBCCI conference room with FBCCI president AK Azad in the chair.
Director General of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Brig Gen Abu Nayeem M Shahidullah attended the meeting as chief guest.
“We want exemplary punishment to the magistrates who fined and filed cases against some our fellow traders though we relocated 20 types of inflammable chemicals. We don’t want such arbitrary mobile court. We’ll take to the streets if it’s not stopped immediately,” said Abu Motaleb, a former FBCCI director and chemical trader.
Earlier, President of Bangladesh Chemical and Perfumery Merchants Association Haji M Faruq placed a four-point demand that includes mandatory inclusion of traders’ representative in mobile court team, suspension of mobile court operation until allocation of fire licenses to all chemical shops and warehouses, and stop harassment and penalty without valid reason.
After listening to the grievances of the chemical traders, FBCCI president AK Azad urged the government to stop the operation of mobile court in the old part of capital Dhaka till November 13.
A final decision is likely to come from a meeting scheduled for November 13 where representatives of concerned ministries, fire service, FBCCI and chemical traders are expected to sit together to resolve the matter.
Responding to the traders’ allegations, Azad said: “We strongly condemn harassment of innocent traders by the mobile court. We’ll send a letter today (Thursday) to the Prime Minister to halt mobile court operation.”
Meanwhile, Azad directed to form a five-member body headed by FBCCI first vice president M Jashim Uddin to deal with the matter and prepare recommendations.
The FBCCI chief asked the chemical traders to convey the fact through media, saying that the government’s intelligence report says `inflammable items are still stored in the warehouses’.
DG Fire Service Shahidullah was also unhappy about the harassment of mobile court and also blamed the chemical traders for their non-cooperation.
“You’re telling about fire licenses. I asked you to come through your trade bodies so that a bunch of licenses can be issued at a time. I’m yet to get the list,” he said.
He informed that the Fire Service Ordinance 1961 is being amended to make it time-befitting.
FBCCI first vice president M Jashum Uddin, Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BC) president Shahedul Islam Helal and some chemical traders also spoke at the meeting.
END/UNB
