Despite allegations of gas cylinders being a major cause of several massive fires in recent times, the sale of these cylinders is increasing unregulated or unsupervised.
Though the unsafe usage of gas cylinders has drawn major criticism, people in the business still lack awareness of the sale, transportation, stocking, and usage of the cylinders.
Moreover, those who are supposed to supervise the matter are not fulfilling their duties, citing a shortage of manpower.
Experts and conscious citizens are saying, apart from the manufacturers and distributors of gas cylinders, the authorities concerned should also ensure the safe usage and transportation of cylinders in domestic and commercial areas.
While inspecting the situation in the capital first-hand, wholesale distributors of the gas cylinder manufacturing companies were seen maintaining government regulations in storing, transporting, and supplying the cylinders.
However many of the retailers do not know or follow any rules whatsoever. Cylinder-selling shops in most areas of Moghbazar and Old Dhaka are under the basements and ground floors of residential buildings.
These shops do not have adequate fire extinguishers. Shopkeepers pile up cylinders under the buildings. Many even lay the cylinders down on footpath and roads.
After visiting different hotels and tea-stalls in city’s Airport Road and Mohakhali areas, it was found that many shopkeepers are using gas cylinders by keep them near the stoves. Some of them even use cylinders by laying them on the ground; which is very risky.
On the Latif Sardar Lane of Moghbazar, gas cylinders are being sold at a dyeing shop named Imran Enterprise. Large gas canisters have been placed on both sides in front of the shop.
The shop also contains chemicals used for dyeing. Moreover, hardware equipment and gas stoves are sold there. A total of nine gas cylinders—each weighing about 12kg—were seen stocked in the store, where other goods have been piled up on top of those cylinders.
When asked whether they have permit to sell gas cylinders, Siddiqe Ullah, father of Imran Enterprise’s owner Md Imran, said: “It is a hardware and paint shop. However, we sell a few gas cylinders as a side business.”
However, when asked if there are any fire extinguishers at the store, he said no.
Two other gas cylinder-selling shops—Nadia Enterprise and Mahfuz Enterprise—are also located under a residential building in the same area. However, both of these shops have fire extinguishers. The shopkeepers said they supply gas cylinders to nearby households.
Asked whether they have a permit from the Department of Explosives, Khurshed Mia, owner of Nadia Enterprise, said: “We have the City Corporation trade license. However, the Department of Explosives did not give us a permit. It takes a lot of money, plus they do not give licenses to small shop owners.”
In response to how they deliver the gas cylinders to households, Md Mahfuz, owner of Mahfuz Enterprise, said: “Once an order is placed, we deliver the cylinders using bicycles.”
Meanwhile, a hotel, behind the traffic police box at the airport intersection, was seen using a large gas cylinder horizontally-placed, on the ground. According to usage instructions, gas cylinders must be used in a vertical position, not in a horizontal or tilted position.
When asked whether he has any knowledge regarding the use of gas cylinders, Rupok, the hotel manager, confessed that he has no formal knowledge about it adding: “If we keep the cylinder in a vertical position, it might fall down. That is why we lay it down.”
Those in the gas cylinder trade say that they supply their clients with guidelines provided by the companies. They say that the users must also be aware that they are using the cylinders safely.
Director of the Department of Explosives, Md Samsul Alam said: “Retailers can store a maximum of 10 cylinders, at a time, without a license from the explosives department.”
He added that legal steps can be taken against the retailers if they are caught selling more than 10 cylinders.
Alam said that they are short on manpower and added, “Each department only has three to four officers.”
He said that it is not possible to regulate these matters unless the district administration and the police help.
Gas cylinder rule
The 1991 gas cylinder rule says that to sell the cylinders, the sales floor has to be made of concrete. Also, the sellers must have proper storage, fire extinguishers, and clearance from the fire service.
The third section of the guideline says that a license is a must to import these cylinders.
It says that cylinders cannot be transported by two-wheelers—such as bicycles and motorcycles—and no part of the cylinder may protrude from the delivery vehicle.
Filling up a cylinder without a license is absolutely forbidden, the guideline says.
Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Ali Ahmed Khan said that gas cylinders, although in high demand, are becoming a cause of alarm.
“The cylinders are not maintained properly. Also, the cylinders that are used are below standard,” Ali said.
He said that the regulators of the cylinders are subpar, too, and although they undergo monitoring at the primary level, a secondary inspection is imperative.
Explaining that the cylinders, themselves, do not explode, Ali said that leakage from them gives rise to full-scale fires.
“When transporting the cylinders, it must be ensured that the regulators are not accidentally pressed because that is what causes leakages,” Ali said.
He said that everyone must be aware of the proper usage and storage of cylinders to avoid catastrophe.
