Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam has said that buildings at the Bangladesh Secretariat, constructed by the Public Works Department, are not at risk of fire.
"All the buildings inside the secretariat have the necessary circuit breakers," he said while briefing reporters after Monday's cabinet meeting.
According to the Fire Service, 39% of all the fire incidents reported in Bangladesh last year were sparked by electric short circuits, reports UNB.
The cabinet secretary's comments came days after a devastating fire at a Banani commercial building killed 26 people last month. In February, a fire at a chemical warehouse in Old Dhaka's Chawkbazar area left 70 people dead.
Shafiul said the Prime Minister's Office, in Building 1, has been moved due to earthquake risks. However, people working at the secretariat will have adequate time to evacuate in the event of an earthquake, he added.
"We will hold a meeting with stakeholders to discuss and review the risks the secretariat faces from earthquakes and other disasters," the secretary said.
He said the design of a 20-storey building, which will be constructed on the compound, is in its final stage. "It will have modern facilities to keep it free from all sorts of risks."
Urban experts say around 18 million people in and around Dhaka are exposed to fires and earthquakes because of building code violations, and building regulations being ignored during the construction of high-rises.
Cabinet implements 24 out of 36 decisions
The cabinet, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has implemented two-thirds of its decisions taken within the first three months of assuming office in January, said the cabinet secretary.
Twenty-four out 36 decisions have been executed in the first quarter of the year, according to a report placed before the cabinet.
Shaiful said the cabinet took the decisions in five meetings, held between January 7 and March 31.
"The success rate of implementation during the last three months is 66.67%," he said, adding that 12 other decisions are also being carried out.
During the same period last year, 63 decisions were taken in seven meetings and 43 of those were implemented, the secretary said.
Besides, two policies and one agreement were also implemented during the first quarter of the year.
