Bangabazar complex marked as major fire risk 4 years ago

Four years ago the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence declared the Bangabazar Shopping Complex a fire risk.

This morning, the complex was burnt to ashes in a devastating fire that was brought under control after around six and a half hours.

"We hung a banner on April 2, 2019. We gave them [building authorities] notice on 10 separate occasions," said Brigadier General Md Main Uddin, director general of Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence, while talking to media from the spot.

The fire service's banner asked all people concerned to be cautious as the building was very risky in terms of fire safety.

Following the fire at Banani's FR Tower, the fire service department declared the Bangabazar Shopping Complex as a fire risk on April 1, 2019.

According to fire service's 2018-19 annual report, several major fire incidents including ones at Churihatta, FR Tower, Gulshan DNCC kitchen market and Khilgaon kitchen market took place between February and April of 2019.

The fire service carried out a survey of 3,786 institutions and establishments and found 541 shopping complexes and markets very vulnerable to fire.

The department later put banners in front of the vulnerable markets, with the Bangabazar Shopping Complex being the first.

"We did everything that we could. But even after that business continued [at the complex]," he said.

In 1996 the market was burnt to ashes and there were also major and minor fire incidents in subsequent years at the market.