Fire incidents keep rising

Amid poor enforcement of safety rules, the number of fire incidents has risen in the last four years.

At least 27,624 fires killed 102 people and injured 281 last year, compared to the previous year, according to data from the Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Over the past seven years, 2,884 people lost their lives, and 1,73,709 fires occurred across the country, according to fire service data.

At least 64,447 of the fires were caused by electrical short-circuits.

"Unplanned construction work done without adhering to fire safety regulations often causes tragedies. Major accidents keep happening because of the lack of fire safety measures," says Ali Ahmed Khan, former director general of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence.

The government bodies involved in fire prevention and response should be more strict in enforcing the rules, he adds.

"Violators should be penalised appropriately and action must be taken as per the law."

There were safety rules violations at the Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall on Bailey Road where 46 people died in a fire on February 29. The fire service issued three notices to the owners of the seven-storey building about the serious risks, but it did not take any legal steps.

From January 2020 to December 2023, firefighters inspected 24,193 buildings and identified 7,801 with risks. Of these, 1,803 were at high risk.

Professor Adil Mohammed Khan, president of Bangladesh Institute of Planners, says the government agencies are not sincere in enforcing the safety regulations.

"The fire service, city corporations, Rajuk [Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha], and architects are mostly responsible for this situation.

"The government agencies only issue notices but fail to take legal action. The number of tragedies keep rising because of this," he adds.

Former fire service chief Ali recommends that every building has its own team of first responders.

According to a fire service official, officers often do not sue the violators because they "do not want to attend court hearings throughout the lengthy trial proceedings. Besides, some building owners are powerful people, and they harass the inspectors. The fire service also does not have its own executive magistrates to run mobile courts".

Talking to The Daily Star, Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director (operations) of fire service, said, "Our inspectors issue notices. Then we go for mobile courts and file cases. Our only limitation is we do not have magistrates like the city corporations and Rajuk have. This is why we hold fewer mobile courts compared to other organisations."