‘Technical error, incompetent operator caused BSRM factory accident’

Five workers died at the BSRM factory in Chattogram due to technical faults and the operator's mistake, said the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments in a report after inspecting the factory.

The department has also issued a show-cause notice to BSRM which requires it to respond within five working days, along with the recommendation to manage the activities of the factory by hiring skilled manpower in the future.

Chattogram deputy inspector general of the Department of Factory and Institutional Inspection Al Amin told The Business Standard that inspectors Shubhankar Dutt and Mahmudul Hasan inspected the site after the accident.

He said there were technical faults in the accident. The workers did not wear protective clothing. Action will be taken against BSRM as per the labour law.

An official who visited the factory on June 8 said they learned when molten iron was being transported from the factory ladle (like a bucket) to the refinery station, it fell on the maintenance workers working around the free heater machine some distance away.

"Of course, the operator could not handle the matter properly. We think it is the fault of the operator. Had he operated the equipment properly, such a big accident would not have happened," he added.

The official further said that they inspected the site and submitted a report to the factory department on June 9. BSRM was given the show-cause notice the same day.

Worker Abul Kashem died on the way to Chittagong Medical College Hospital after being burnt by molten lead while working at the BSRM factory on June 6 in the afternoon. Later, Nazrul Islam and Gias Uddin died in Comilla on their way to Dhaka Medical College Hospital from Chittagong.

Mohiuddin died at 2.30 pm on June 9 and Nur Hossain at 4 pm while undergoing treatment at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College. Injured worker Mohammad Sikander is undergoing treatment at home, BSRM said.

Abul Kashem's brother-in-law Bazlur Rashid filed a case at the Jorarganj Police Station on June 7 against Md Atiq, assistant manager of LRF-200 of BSRM factory.

Describing the incident as an accident, Omar Sohaib, BSRM's assistant manager (PR and communications), said five workers were killed in the incident. One of the injured is undergoing treatment at his home. He was not aware of the show cause notice given to BSRM.

Hi-Tech Engineering is pressuring to withdraw the case

Meanwhile, Hi-Tech Engineering, a worker supplier of the BSRM factory, is pressuring the family of the deceased to withdraw the case.

Bazlur Rashid told The Business Standard that Saiful Islam, managing partner of Hi-tech Engineering, was pressuring the family to withdraw the case. He made it clear that otherwise BSRM would not have any kind of discussion or provide compensation.

Saiful Islam said the family of Abul Kashem might have received a little more compensation if the case was not filed. However, he claimed he did not create any pressure to withdraw the case.

Helal Uddin, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Jorarganj police station, said the case was under investigation.