It is shocking news that yet another tragic fire incident took place in the capital on Sunday. The fire, which broke out in a multistorey building in Gulshan, claimed at least two lives and left several injured.
That incidents as such continue to be a recurring phenomenon in our country, with little to no active measures taken to prevent them further, is disturbing to say the least.
What is even more alarming is the scarcity of a proper fire fighting system and a general disregard for preventative measures that were exposed in the handling of said event. The fact that there was finger pointing and blaming with regard to a lack of a fire station in Gulshan and Banani is simply inexcusable and is testament to our gross lack of preparedness when it comes to fire safety.
Not only did the insufficient functional fire safety equipment in the building hamper the process, but the general public on the streets also acted as a hindrance to the rescue operations.
Although the deaths and injuries reported were caused by residents trying to escape the fire and not by the fire itself, these events are further testament to the inadequate knowledge on fire safety precautions that have been instilled in our people.
For something that is, unfortunately, as common as fire incidents in Bangladesh, the lack of awareness and precautionary measures is deeply concerning.
We have been notoriously negligent of fire safety in the past, with blatant indifference to safety rules in place, and subsequent carelessness and outright incompetence in holding perpetrators accountable for the irreparable damage that fire incidents continue to cause.
It is about time we treat incidents like this with the kind of seriousness it warrants. Rigid fire safety regulations must be enforced, and more awareness must be created on what steps need to be taken during such events.
Putting out fires isn't enough; the authorities need to make sure that no stone is left unturned in preventing fires from breaking out in the first place.