Experts and professionals in different sectors have said that the different government bodies or agencies only become eagerly concerned or jump into action only after tragedies like fire, accidents due to construction errors in a building or crashes on the road occur.
They alleged the eagerness of the authorities to inspect fire prevention measures only begins after a fire has caused immense damage, including to properties and lives, and they start to give various types of advice, suggestions and recommendations, and place banners warning of fire hazards in the at-risk markets.
The experts assert that such eagerness is merely a tactic to “show off” and “evade responsibility”.
They believe that due to a lack of coordination among the services, it is becoming impossible to take precautions, which is why tragedies like fires continue to happen.
Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneProf Adil Muhammad Khan, the executive director of the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD), said that whenever a fire breaks out in the capital, various services start coordinating efforts to inspect different locations and that these initiatives are often taken only to avoid responsibility.
“Due to the lack of coordination, effective measures are not being implemented in various buildings and markets in the capital, which is why fires continue to occur,” he said.
Although the service providers claim that they are taking effective measures within the framework of the relevant laws, the owners of various markets and shopping malls are not any less responsible than them for these fires.
According to a survey conducted by the Fire Service and Civil Defence, between 2017 and 2019, inspections of small and large markets, wholesale markets and shopping malls in the capital revealed that 622 markets and shopping malls were at high risk of deadly fires.
The survey also found information on nearly 1,300 wholesale markets, most of which lacked adequate fire protection measures, equipment, water, fire-fighting system and fewer emergency staircases.
That list of markets susceptible to deadly fires also included the Bangabazar wholesale market, which was engulfed in flames on April 4.
Following the fire at Bangabazar, the fire service, city corporation and various other agencies initiated a coordinated program to inspect fire-prevention systems at various locations in the capital, including Mouchak Market, Rajdhani Supermarket and Gausia Market.
Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka TribuneThey found that there were no water supply connections, no fire hydrants and no water pumps in these markets. There was no alarm system for detecting fire, nor were there quick exits in case of a fire. The number of staircases was also inadequate.
As a result, the fire service declared these places “highly hazardous”.
But the question remains about what actions will be taken, and by whom, after declaring these places “highly risky”.
Although the fire service, city corporation, explosives department, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) and environment department have been involved in these types of initiatives, it remains unclear who will take effective measures to address these issues.
City corporation officials said that the fire service declared Bangabazar “hazardous” in 2019. Despite attempts to communicate with the owners of Bangabazar to take effective measures, they subsequently filed a case in the High Court. Due to a stay order from the High Court, no effective action could be taken.
And like this, it was not possible to take effective measures for the other highly risky markets, despite their being labelled as fire-prone or hazardous.
Market owners claim that various service providers, including the fire service, visited the markets for inspection many times but did not provide any effective information or advice on what measures to take to prevent deadly fires.
Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneMouchak Market Owners' Committee Senior Vice President Saeedur Rahman Pintu also alleged that the fire service and many others previously inspected the market but did not provide accurate information on what fire safety measures should be taken.
Following the recent fire at Bangabazar, market owners are now being informed in writing about specific effective measures that need to be taken.
Fire Service Deputy Assistant Director Md Hafizur Rahman said they have provided written instructions to the market owners on what needs to be added as fire safety measures.
The market authorities assured them of proper implementation, he said.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said the places identified as “hazardous” by the city corporation should not be used from now on as it is impossible to predict when and where an accident might occur.
“We have marked them as risky. Those who use these places also have a responsibility. They should use them cautiously, keeping the risks in mind,” he said.