Whenever we think of fire risks, the first name that comes to mind is of Old Dhaka. Experts are now adding Mirpur to the list of fire hazardous areas in Dhaka.
Mirpur, that consists of 14 different sections, will be in huge risk if immediate action to make plan for the area is taken, they added.
According to Fire Service officials, densely populated Mirpur is among the top areas on the list because of unplanned urbanization, rise of unplanned commercial establishment such as garments, industry, market and offices via filing canals and water sources, growth of non approved high buildings etc.
They also pointed out that narrow roads, lack of fire extinguishing systems in shops or business establishments and illegal power connections are among the many reasons making the area vulnerable to fire hazards.
“Although people of Mirpur do enjoy many facilities of a new city, but the equal development of residential and industrial establishments in the same area makes it a risky spot,” said Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) Chief Executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
Also Read- Could the Chawkbazar tragedy have been much worse?
There are also a number of slums in the area that are highly vulnerable to fire.
A deadly blaze occurred at Mirpur 14 at the Bhashantek slum in the early hours of Thursday, gutting about 1,000 shanties. Bodies of two children were recovered from a canal close to the scene.
What puts Mirpur in the red zone?
Just after the Nimtali tragedy in 2010, a government-formed probe committee made 17 specific recommendations including shifting warehouses to non-residential areas, enforcing certain laws, installing separate hydrant points in the city’s different areas, forming a cross-functional license-issuing body, and updating school and college textbooks to raise awareness at an early age.
If implemented, the Chawkbazar fire could have been prevented.
“This is a clear indication that we do not learn and take action on the basis of facts,” said Rezwana.
Also Read- Attempt to escape Bhashantek fire kills two infants
“Mirpur has been developed by filing canals and water sources. Whenever there will be an emergency, it will now be difficult to manage water if there is fire,” she added.
Mirpur currently houses many establishments in residential areas including garments factory, jhut business, shoe factories and many chemical industries and commercial buildings, most of which do not have arrangement of fire safety, said stakeholders working for fire safety.
If there is a large scale fire, the heavy Fire Service vehicles and equipments cannot be taken to the areas via narrow streets, resulting in increase of losses and death, similar to what happened in Chawkbazar where at least 70 people were killed last month.
They blamed Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) and fire service for approval of commercial establishment in residential areas without checking fire safety pre-requisites.
Renowned civil engineer and former adviser to caretaker government Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury said thereare fire risksin the entire city, but the massive population and unplanned urbanization puts Mirpur among the top in the list.
Also Read- Chawkbazar fire death toll rises to 70
“Nine years ago, Rajuk’s DetailedArea Plan was responsible for the removal of dangerous chemical warehouses, but there has been no implementation of that,” he pointed out.
Citing examples of European countries, the national professor said it is true that narrow streets prevail in other cities in the world, but countermeasures like fire resistant machines help the response get to scenes of fire on time.
“No such measures are being taken in Bangladesh. I was advised the use of domestic inventors. We can also bring essential machinery from abroad, but that has not been done,” he said.
Urban planner Iqbal Habib thinks establishment of businesses in the residential areas in dense areas makes it risky and Mirpur is the worst example of it.
“It has become essential for us to control the approval of constructions as well as putting more focus on approval of commercial establishments. In a way, we need to stop illegal structures to make the land free from occupation,” he added.
What is preventing the implementation of solutions?
Fire Service officials however say the reality on the ground is quite different.
A top official from Fire Service and Civil Defence said the oldest houses in European citiesare two-storied buildings, while six-seven-storied buildings are common in Dhaka's narrow lanes, making it difficult to implement European mechanisms in Bangladesh.
Lieutenant Colonel SM Zulfiqar Rahman, director (training, planning and development) of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said they have stopped issuance of fire licences in Old Dhaka since 2010.
Also Read- Victims' family say fires recur due to negligence by the authorities concerned
“The illegal chemical warehouses were already there. It is the responsibility of the city corporation and Rajuk to evict them,” he said.
According to him, they do not have the required manpower to deal with hazardous situations as the population grows.
“If we had magisterial power, then we could take action and issue penalties to those violating fire certificate requirements,” he added.
“Mirpur does have some water sources, but many of them are owned privately, who are developing establishments on them and they take us to court if we take action against them,” said Rajuk Member (Planning) Abul Kalam Azad.
“We do not approve high-rise construction considering the location and environment of the area. We demolish the buildings if they are found to be built illegally. Nevertheless, real state owners build higher buildings over the approval and they did not left enough space,” he said.
“Although Rajuk does evict illegal warehouses in residential areas, but they get back in business with the help of homeowners quickly enough,” he added.
Fire Service and Civil Defence authorities said they have taken up initiatives to increase the workforce from 10,000 to 25,000. There is also a plan to raise the number of volunteers to 62,000 from existing 42,000 so that they can help in emergencies.
