The commercial building on Bailey Road in the capital where 46 people died in a massive fire was like a time bomb, said a statement issued by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon on Friday.
A delegation led by Bapa president visited the scene.
There was no ventilation system, no separate exit route in case of emergency, said it.
The delegation included Bapa President Professor Nur Mohammad Talukder, Vice President Architect Iqbal Habib, General Secretary Alamgir Kabir, Treasurer Zakir Hossain, Joint Secretary Mihir Biswas and Humayun Kabir Sumon.
Director General of Fire Service and Vice-President of Bapa Architect Iqbal Habib visited the inside of the building.
After the inspection, he said that from the ground floor to the seventh floor of the seven-story building, there were multiple restaurants and clothes shops.
Along with the stairs, there were large gas cylinders for cooking in the restaurant, so the people trapped on the top are not able to go down the stairs and there are so many casualties, he added.
The Bapa delegation said that 124 people died on the spot in Nimtali fire on June 3, 2010, 70 people died in 2011 and 71 people died on the spot in the night of February 20, 2019 in Chawkbazar Churihatta Waheed Mansion, Old Dhaka.
This kind of incident is repeated again and again because none of the related organizations Rajuk, Fire Service, City Corporation, Titus Gas, Desco, Department of Environment, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Commerce have taken any strong action in this regard.
Bapa demands immediate action against the culprits including taking necessary steps to prevent recurrence of such tragic accidents.
Bapa’s recommendations and demands:
- Urgently form a working task force to investigate the incident within three months and identify the defects in the building and take action against the culprits as well as defects in other buildings in the city within the next six months
- To identify and take action against building owners for violating the law. Rapid removal of chemicals and flammable materials from all residential areas of the country including Dhaka.
- To compel the building to be used only for that purpose for which it is constructed
- Adequate compensation should be provided to the families of the victims.
- The concerned organizations should be held accountable.
- Politically tough decisions should be taken regarding violation of law.
- Every building should comply with the National Building Code, it should be monitored regularly
At least 46 people were killed, and over 20 others sustained severe injuries by a devastating fire on Thursday night.
Firefighters rescued 70 people, including 42 in unconscious state, from the rooftop and different floors of the seven-storey Green Cozy Cottage.
