Corrupt people selling industrial oxygen as medical oxygen

Demand for oxygen has increased five times with the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic affecting more people than ever in the country.
Taking the advantage of this pandemic situation a section of unscrupulous businessmen is selling industrial oxygen in the name of medical oxygen.
Experts said at the early stage difference between industrial oxygen and medical oxygen is very little. But after a few days of storage, industrial oxygen acts like slow poisoning in human body.
Thus industrial oxygen causes long-term physical damage to human body.
Special care needs to be taken in the use of industrial oxygen in human body. In this case, using this oxygen at home without any advice of a doctor can be risky.Netrokona Kendua Upazila Health and Family
Planning Officer Dr Ebaidur Rahman told the Daily Observer, "Industrial oxygen is used in industrial production and product processing. The filling process is not as rigorous as medical oxygen."
"Water and other impurities like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, acetylene and other impurities that are extremely harmful to the human body are often mixed with the industrial oxygen" Ebaidur Rahman added.  
Industrial oxygen contains more water than medical oxygen, he said, adding, "That is why the inside of the cylinder rusts very quickly and produces various harmful gases which cause respiratory tract infection and shortness of breath."
On the other hand medical oxygen is commonly known as dry oxygen, he said.
Dr Ebaidur further said, "In addition to removing harmful gases from human body during production and filling, the most important thing is to strictly control the amount of oxygen in the water."
Md. Rezaul Karim, owner of Sia Gas and Oxygen House on Mohammadpur Babar Road, told the Daily Observer that the price of industrial oxygen is lower than that of medical oxygen.
That is why many unscrupulous traders in the city are selling industrial oxygen in cylinders in the name of medical oxygen, he observed.
Such groups in several areas of Dhaka including Panthapath are selling such osygen.
If the government does not take action soon, lives of people will be in danger, he warned.
Industrial oxygen is sold at Tk 28-Tk50 per cube while medical oxygen is sold at Tk 80-Tk 150 per cube.
Taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic many drug stores are selling oxygen without government license.
A Mitford drug dealer wishing anonymity said oxygen cylinder sales increased fivefold during the coronavirus epidemic. That is why those who are not allowed to sell oxygen are also now selling oxygen cylinders.  
In this way it is not possible to preserve the quality of oxygen, the drug dealer added.
Since therapeutic oxygen enters the human body and is widely used in medical treatment, National Drug Regulatory Authority always takes care of medical oxygen production and supply around the country.  
The quality of this medical oxygen is clearly recorded in the medical oxygen certificate in the medical oxygen bottle.