An allegation has been made against a factory for trying to get a gas connection by digging the side of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur.
SQ Celcius Limited authorities were reportedly seen carrying out excavation work in front of the main gate of the factory in the Kewa Paschimkhand area of Sreepur municipality on Tuesday afternoon.
Locals complained that the factory authorities also occupied the footpath on the side of the highway and fenced the designated bicycle stand of the factory, resulting in an obstruction in the movement of locals.
Along with this, accidents are often happening at this place.
For the past 10 years, the sidewalk in front of the factory on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway has been fenced off.
Abul Kalam Azad, a local resident, said that people have to walk on the road due to the lack of footpaths as the authorities are using it as a bicycle stand for the workers of privately owned factories.
Moreover, the covered van hired by the factory is often left at this place day after day, causing disruption to the movement of local residents including factory workers and students.
Zainal Abedin, manager of the factory's human resources department, claimed that holes were being dug to find the bulbs of the gas line that runs along the highway.
But could not answer whether the factory has permission to dig up the highway.
When asked about building a bicycle stand for the factory by occupying the footpath of the highway, he said that for 15 years, the factory authorities have occupied the footpath of the road and made a bicycle stand for the workers.
There is also no permission from the authorities concerned to occupy the footpath, he added.
Rezaul Karim, the contractor of MN Enterprises for cutting the part of the highway, claims that he has taken an order for this work from the factory authorities.
“We are working to repair the damaged gas bulb in the factory on an urgent basis,” he said.
They said the authorities have taken permission from the Roads and Highways Department to dig the road. But he could not show any permission papers.
He said that the factory authorities said that they have leased the land on the footpath from the authorities. “The authorities brought me to work with false information.”
It is known that SQ Celsius Limited started digging the road to connect the gas line passing under the ground beside the highway to connect the gas to the factory. While the work was going on, no representative or engineer of Titas Gas was seen present at that place.
Locals are afraid of major accidents including fire due to gas line leakage at any time.
Anwar Hossain, general manager (GM) of Gazipur Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution, said if the factory authorities must take permission from the head office.
“I don't know what they are doing. However, even if they have approval from the concerned department, they need to take permission for road digging.”
Md Shariful, the Gazipur executive engineer of the Roads and Highway Department, said the factory has not been given permission to excavate any road.
He said no one informed them about the bicycle stand by occupying the footpath.
“We will investigate and take action against the factory authorities as soon as possible,” he added.
