100 employees’ death at Rahim Steel Mill’s factory in Kanchpur: HC orders to test dust of quartz powder

The High Court today ordered the authorities concerned of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) to examine whether the dust of quartz powder is detrimental to the human body, and how much of it, if at all.

The court passed the order during the hearing of a writ petition which claimed that more than 100 employees of a stone crushing factory of Rahim Steel Mill at Narayanganj's Kanchpur area have reportedly died and 200 others have become seriously ill since 2010 to 2016 due to the dust produced from quartz powder used in the factory.

The principal of BSMMU has been asked to assign a senior professor to carry out the test of the dust produced from quartz powder and to submit its report to the HC in 30 days.

The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice SM Masud Hossain Dolon was holding hearing on the writ petition filed as a public interest litigation by Supreme Court lawyer Md Lutfur Rahman (Rasel).

In the petition, he prayed to the HC to order the authorities concerned to give Tk 5 crore to each of the victims who died in Rahim Still Mill's factory and to ask the government to form an inter-ministerial joint inquiry committee to probe the reported incidents of deaths of employees and their being sick due to the dust of quartz power and unhygienic environment of the factory.

Barrister Neoaz Morshed, who appeared for the petitioner, told The Daily Star that the HC will deliver necessary directives after going through the test report from BSMMU authorities.