STAFF CORRESPONDENT

It has been a month since the Siddikbazar explosion but investigators are yet to ascertain from where the gas accumulated in the multi-storey building that led to the incident, leaving at least 25 people dead.

Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said an explosion occurred due to the accumulation of gas in the building.

A CTTC team of DMP yesterday visited the spot to find the source from where the gas accumulated. Officials from Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited were also present at the time.

The CTTC team went to the spot around 10:30am and examined the site for two and a half hours.

During the visit, CTTC officials spoke with Titas officials about the gas connection line. Later, the investigation team dug up the line with some local workers.

Mishuk Chakma, deputy commissioner of the special action group of the CTTC unit, said, “We are now trying to find the exact source of the gas.”

“There used to be a commercial gas connection on the ground floor of that building. We are digging up the underground gas connection to see if the gas accumulated from the previous connection,” he added.

Engineer Moshiur Rahman of Titas Gas, however, said no leak was found in the connection line set up by Titas.

He also said the explosion might have taken place due to the accumulation of gas from the toilet line.

“There was once a commercial gas line under the building. But in 2000, it was closed and a residential gas connection was provided. There is no gas connection from the ground floor to the third floor of the building,” said Moshiur.

Earlier on March 7, more than 100 people were injured in the explosion at the seven-storey building in Dhaka’s Siddikbazar. The basement, first and second floors of the building collapsed in the explosion.