Rajshahi fire station often fails to provide quality services to townspeople for lack of sufficient equipment and firefighters much to cause annoyance of city dwellers.
According to the fire station, the station sometimes cannot response properly following arson attacks during the on going blockade sponsored by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.
Currently, the fire station is running with 56 officials which is insufficient, said an official of the station, adding that the fire station has three ambulances, three rescue cars and three water-tender cars.
According to the fire service station, the fire station extinguished fire of nine incidents caused by petrol and crude bombs attack in the last two months while a total of 20 fire incidents took place in the city.
During rescue operation of these fire incidents, firefighters faced many difficulties.
So, the city dwellers think that the fire station has completely failed to help them during their crisis periods.
Sometimes, when the fire fighters are called over phone to come to a spot, they failed to come within times and even they do not reach at all, said several victims of fire incident.
Akbar Ali, a city dweller, told the Dhaka Tribune that recently he had made a phone call to fire service office for dousing a fire that broke out near his shop at Shalbagan area.
“Then I was informed from fire station that they were not be able to send anyone as all of their staff were involved in extinguishing fire at another place of the city.”
Anisuzzaman, another city dweller, told the Dhaka Tribune that when city dwellers fall into a danger, staff of local fire station could not even pick up phone.
“Sometimes, they cut the phone connection,” he said.
An official of the fire station wishing anonymity said because of manpower shortage, they could not enjoy their due vacation many times and if these problems are not solved soon, the station will not be able to cope up with the difficulties during summer time when incident of fire increases generally.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Shariful Islam, senior station officer of Rajshahi fire service station, refusing the claim of their non response to call of the victims said: “We are trying our best to face the present situation with limited facilities.
“Considering the present political situation, it is quite tough for the fire station to response to each and every call of fire incident, said the official.
Asked about why they did not go to each and every spot where fire broken out in the last two months, he said they provided services considering the seriousness of fire incident at the same time with their existing firefighting teams and equipment.
He, however, said manpower and necessary equipments should be increased as soon as possible.
