If you are a student, or more particularly an English Medium school student, you must have visited Dhanmondi countless times. From the very first day of starting school, or going to coaching, to the stressful days of giving mock tests for your upcoming board exams -- the journey is tedious yet full of memories to be cherished.
Going on a quick afternoon walk to Rabindra Sarobar, munching on the streetside fuchkas, or just going on a rickshaw ride are, of course, go-to activities of a Dhanmondi dweller. But Dhanmondi is not just a hub of such tranquil cultures, it has also been growing into another city-centre like Gulshan, becoming a collection of affordable and exquisite restaurants and cafeterias.
With this comes the matter of safety within all these mega-structures we have rapidly been surrounded by. Given the recent and frequent fires that have scarred the neighbourhood, it gives goosebumps when thinking about whether a pleasant outing at one such place would result in being the last.
Just about a month ago, my friends and I were inside one of such restaurants nearby Satmasjid road for an annual treat from our teachers and it is needless to say that the building’s shabby, congested, slippery, and narrow staircases, with cylinders and food dumps on the side of the kitchen, did not match the fancy interior outlook of the restaurant it hosted. It was around 10pm and the elevators were overcrowded with people returning home after a hearty meal. I could barely imagine how dangerous it might have been for fire rescuers to go there with such chaotic passageways and staircases.
This is a concern that the authorities must pay proper attention to. Often for the sake of profit, multiple restaurants are squeezed into any space available -- much due to the concentration of restaurants and shopping centres all in one place.
It hurts to see these places, filled with so many memories of joy and laughter, the places that we had cherished from the core of our heart, get destroyed in no time
This is not just in Dhanmondi. Places like New Market and some areas of Old Dhaka hardly have any space between two separate buildings. The infrastructure has been developed in such a way that one building is practically attached to the next one and they might even face a domino effect if an earthquake were to occur.
It hurts to see these places, filled with so many memories of joy and laughter, the places that we had cherished from the core of our heart, get destroyed in no time. I cannot even begin to fathom the emotions and irreparable damage such catastrophes bring to the affected families and their lives.
As these businesses in Dhaka prevail, construction projects still take place with little attention being paid to the maintenance of the infrastructure. While fire safety and infrastructure must remain our top priority, it alone should not be the only concern. Bundles of cases regarding the safety of the workers, especially female workers, have piled up with no solution at hand. These fire incidents have suddenly brought to light so many questions about the exploitation of cleaners and workers, of providing them with proper wages. These concerns being raised while the owners have more than enough profit for themselves is alarming.
Frankly saying, all of these would not have been an issue if people had just been a bit more selfless and focused on the safety and health of others, rather than keeping personal interest and profit as their main agenda. The lack of consciousness in our actions, the lack of proper and sustainable future development, is where we falter.
From the innocent children to the students, no citizen deserves to lose their lives and their future in a horrid fire when they are simply out enjoying a meal. Every individual in this world hopes to make memories to be cherished, not memories to be burnt down to ashes.
Labiba Tasnim is a student of SFX Greenherald International School.