Relocate chemical, medicine factories out of Barisal city

Inhabitants of Barisal city yesterday formed a human chain demanding that chemical and pharmaceutical factories be shifted immediately from densely populated residential areas.

On March 30, a worker was killed while four others sustained injuries in a fire that broke out in Opsonin Pharmaceutical LTD's factory on the city's Bogura Road.

Shawkat Hasan, deputy director of Barisal's fire station, said the four hour long fire weakened the factory building, increasing its risk of collapse. Fatal chemical explosion is another risk factor for having chemical factories in residential area.

The city now has two more factories of Opsonin, one of Rephco Laboratories and one of Chemist Laboratories situated on Bagura Road, Mathuranath School Road and College Row.

According to the Department of Environment officials at Barisal, the five factories had been given notices seven times in last five years but the factory authorities begging more time had not moved yet.

Saidur Rahman, factory in-charge of Opsonin, said they were preparing to move by this December.

Meanwhile, Samajtantrik Sramik Front's Barisal unit formed a human chain before Ashwini Kumar Hall demanding compensations for the victim workers.

Saidur said they had been bearing treatment cost of the injured and would pay compensations soon. But he did not mention the amount.