While most people have been able to enjoy their Eid in a safe and happy manner, not everyone was as fortunate as a devastating fire incinerated 14 rooms rented by RMG workers in Gazipur.
While the workers themselves did not suffer from any kind of bodily harm, a loss like this is capable of setting them back months, even years. Furthermore, the fact that the fire originated in these makeshift living arrangements -- the only living quarters people from certain sections of the populace can afford -- raises some glaring questions about the structural issues inherent in our societies.
Fires have, sadly, become a way of life in Bangladesh. Just last year, there were around 24,000 fire incidents in the country, which claimed close to 100 lives. More often than not, victims come from the fringes of society, often working in extremely dangerous and low-paying sectors. Often, these fires break out in factories or other industrial settings where these victims work, with the Shezan juice factory fire being a prime, and one of the most fatal examples.
But when people aren't safe even in their own homes, it starts to get doubly concerning. While the cause of fire in this latest incident has not been determined, a look at the congested and unsafe living conditions of various semi-pucca slums is indication enough that proper building regulations are not maintained during the construction of these houses.
This cannot go on.
Authorities have repeatedly pledged to enforce building and safety regulations and it is time they made good on those promises. To that end, special consideration has to be given to industrial areas and slums, as those are at grave danger when it comes to such disasters.
We cannot keep ignoring fire safety any longer.