ED: When will the fires stop?

By now, reports about fires breaking out in the capital have become so common that there is little alarm generated amidst the general public. September 20 saw yet another fire, this time in a high rise in Banani, bringing back painful memories of the FR Tower fire disaster in 2019 which left dozens dead and many others injured.

The fire was doused relatively quickly by the eight units of firefighters who were called upon, and they deserve our respect and admiration for always responding to the best of their abilities whenever the situation demands.

While there appear to be no casualties reported at this point, the prevalent question remains: Why do we keep seeing so many fires?

At the core of it appears to be a fundamental flaw in ensuring that our buildings are safe and fireproof. Amidst the rapid urbanization and industrialization that the country is experiencing, particularly Dhaka city, it appears that the concept of safety and security is being ignored.

This cannot be how we approach developing our cities. It is imperative that as more and more structures are built, they are equipped with the necessary provisions to make them as safe as possible from fires. The developers of these buildings must be held accountable to make sure that no corners are cut during development, and construction is completed adhering to all the safety and security measures prescribed.

Too many fires which are utterly avoidable continue to ravage lives and property in the country. It is time this worrying trend is stopped, once and for all.