900 LPG cylinders recovered in Army operation in Munshiganj
Munshiganj (South) Correspondent
In Louhajang upazila of Munshiganj, the army recovered 900 illegally stockpiled LPG gas cylinders that were secretly stored behind a shop in violation of the law. Later, a mobile court fined the business owner Tk 200,000.
At 1 PM on Saturday, a mobile court was conducted at Ghoradouar Bazar in Teotia Union, where Louhajang Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Abdullah Al-Imran delivered the verdict. Earlier in the morning, a joint operation was carried out by members of the 19 BIR Munshiganj Army Camp, police, and local administration.
The convicted individual is Ruhul Amin Dipu, owner of Messrs. Sheikh Enterprise and son of Jabbar Sheikh of the same area.
Executive Magistrate Abdullah Al-Imran stated that, according to the law, a retailer is permitted to store a maximum of 500 kilograms or 40 LPG gas cylinders. However, the businessman had stored 10,800 kilograms — equivalent to 900 cylinders — behind his shop, within a residential area, concealed with a tin fence. There were no fire extinguishing or safety measures in place. Even more dangerously, the storage site was located next to a welding shop. Any accident could have led to a major disaster.
He further mentioned that under the Consumer Rights Protection Act, the mobile court imposed a fine of Tk 200,000, with a default punishment of three months' imprisonment. Of the 900 seized gas-filled cylinders, 40 were allowed to remain with the businessman, and the rest were ordered to be returned to the supplying company.
