BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said a ‘national mourning’ should have been declared over the fatalities caused by the massive explosion and outbreak of fire at the BM Container Depot in Chattogram’s Sitakunda.

“Any civilised country would do so. Look at the United States; they announced national mourning immediately after several children were killed in a mass shooting.”

Mirza Fakhrul made these remarks while exchanging views with the media at the party chief’s Gulshan residence in Dhaka on Monday.

The BNP leaders criticised the government for raising gas prices at this time instead of announcing a state of mourning saying, “People expect a little comfort during these hard days. Instead, another misery over gas come along.”

Why is the gas price on the rise, Mirza Fakhrul asked saying, it is because of corruption and ruling party men are importing gas.

The BNP leaders demanded a neutral probe committee be formed to find out the people responsible for Sitakunda tragedy. In reply to a question over a neutral probe body, Mirza Fakhrul said a committee like the judicial commission does not function these days and a neutral body means formation of commission with experts who are non-partisan and not involved with the government.

Mirza Fakhrul demanded that the families of the dead in the Sitakunda incident be compensated adequately and the injured be treated properly. He also called for introducing a ‘monitoring system’ at all container depots in the country.

As to whether the Sitakunda incident would affect the apparel industry or the economy of the country, Mirza Fakhrul said it of course will have a negative effect and speculations have already started on this matter.