RDA Market at fire risk
Rajshahi's RDA market narrowly escaped a disaster on Monday night when a fire broke out at a shop near its entrance.
The fire service put out the blaze in an hour, limiting the loss of damage to a few lakhs of taka.
"If the fire had broken out inside the market, I can't imagine what would have happened," said Ohidul Islam, deputy director of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Rajshahi.
Despite being a major hub for thousands of daily shoppers in the city's Shaheb Bazar area, the RDA Market ranks among the city's worst fire hazards due to its illegal construction and blatant disregard for safety rules, said fire officials.
Officials declared the market a fire hazard in 2010, highlighting the lack of a water reservoir, narrow access roads for fire trucks, and insufficient emergency exits.
Officials declared the market a fire hazard in 2010, highlighting the lack of a water reservoir, narrow access roads for fire trucks, and insufficient emergency exits.
"We hung banners warning of the danger several times. But unidentified individuals removed those," said the fire deputy director.
The massive three-story complex, housing nearly 3,000 shops, was "illegally" constructed by the Rajshahi Development Authority in 2004, removing a former tin-shed market.
With pressure from business leaders, building codes and fire safety rules were ignored during the construction, claimed shop owners at the market.
The market has no parking space, causing regular traffic jams on the road in front of it.
An investigation committee of RDA, formed in 2010, found discrepancies in the building's design and questioned its structural integrity.
Despite the report's recommendations, no corrective action was taken, said Sekander Ali, an adviser to the market's businessmen's association.
While some owners acknowledge the risk and call for a modern, safe reconstruction, others are hesitant owing to concerns about relocation and financial loss.
Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, who went to the fire scene on Monday night, told reporters that he would sit with businessmen to find a solution to the problem.
He proposed a new multi-story building but acknowledged the complexities and time involved in relocating the shops.
Earlier, the business association constructed a water reservoir at the entrance, which firefighters used to put out the fire.
"But the reservoir is not a solution. Installation of a modern fire hydrant system can alleviate the hazards. But reconstructing the building following the codes will be wise," said Ohidul.