HC orders committee formation to monitor Dhaka’s sewerage, gas pipelines

For ensuring Dhaka dwellers' safety, the High Court (HC) has ordered the formation of a committee consisting of experts from the departments concerned to regularly monitor the sewage, waste, and gas lines of buildings at each ward in the capital city.

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) chairman, managing director of Titas Gas, managing director of Dhaka Wasa, and chief executive officers of Dhaka North and South City Corporations were asked to comply with the order within seven days.

The High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Ahmed Sohel gave this order on Tuesday after the preliminary hearing of a writ in this regard filed by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).

In the context of recent explosions in science labs in the capital and buildings in Gulistan's Siddique Bazar area, the rights organisation on 12 March filed this public interest litigation in the relevant branch of the High Court.

"Since its formation, the committee has been directed to submit a progress report to the court within four weeks if any irregularities in sewerage and gas lines are detected during the monitoring; so that necessary actions can be taken to prevent the recurrence of such tragic incidents," the court also said.

At the same time, the court has issued a ruling upon the authorities concerned to explain why their inaction and failure in regularly monitoring the sewage and gas lines of buildings in Dhaka City Corporations would not be declared illegal and they would not be directed to ensure the safety of people living here.

Secretaries to Housing and Public Works, Power and Energy, and Local Government ministries, RAJUK Chairman, Managing Director of Titas Gas, Managing Director of Dhaka Wasa, Chief Executive Officers of Dhaka North and South City Corporations, and Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner were asked to respond to the rule within four weeks.

Lawyer Manzil Mursid represented the writ petitioner in the court while Deputy Attorney General Samarendra Nath Biswas appeared for the state.

 "Dhaka Wasa and Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited are the authorities responsible for sewage disposal and gas line management of all the establishments in Dhaka city," lawyer Manzil Mursid told reporters.

Recently, after explosions in the buildings in Science Lab and Siddique Bazar areas of the capital, various media reports were published citing mismanagement of sewage, waste lines, and gas supply lines as the reason behind the explosions, he added.