Nobody cares if people survive or die: BIP
The fire accident on Bailey Road in Dhaka is essentially a case of negligent homicide as nobody cares if people survive or die, the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) has observed.
In their observation at a press briefing at their office in Dhaka on Saturday, the BIP identified the building owners’ greed for profit as the prime reason behind the deaths in fire. Besides, negligence, reluctance, and unjust behaviours of regulatory agencies are also responsible for such deaths.
He also pointed out the role of tenants and said they should see if the building they are renting is approved for their intended purpose. All are solely focused on making high profits, with no attention to whether people survive or die
They noted that the Bailey Road fire could have been avoided had there been regular monitoring, in addition to proper urban planning, building design, construction, management, fire drills, and responsible behaviour of owners.
In his written statement, BIP president Adil Muhammad Khan said the owners, being allured to high profit, were using the building for a purpose other than it was meant for. The pursuit of high profit is one of the major reasons behind the deaths.
“It needs to consider the Bailey Road fire as a structural homicide. Otherwise, there will be continued recurrence if the individuals and authorities concerned, who showed negligence, reluctance, and irresponsible behaviour in their duties, are not brought to bookw,” he added.
He also pointed out the role of tenants and said they should see if the building they are renting is approved for their intended purpose. All are solely focused on making high profits, with no attention to whether people survive or die.
Stressing the identification of risky buildings, Adil Muhammad Khan said it is a basic right to know which buildings are vulnerable. The authorities should place red notices before risky buildings, in an effort to ensure people’s safety.
Speaking on the occasion, urban planner Syed Shahriar Amin feared that there might be some more incidents like that of Bailey Road if the mixed-use of buildings is encouraged in an inconsiderate way.
BIP joint secretary Tamjidul Islam called the regulator’s sincerity into question. He said the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) has information on vulnerable establishments, but the question is if they really want to mitigate the associated risks.
Urban Planner Mosleh Uddin Hasan stressed prioritising safety over the pursuit of high profit and suggested undertaking mega-projects to ensure a safe city. He said the fire neither frightens the authorities nor cares for the influencers; it only burns everything to ashes.
“None of us will remain protected if all concerned do not become careful,” he added.
BIP recommendations
The BIP recommended that the authorities revisit setback regulations, create a separate category for commercial establishments in the building construction code, and strictly ensure that residential properties are not used for other purposes.
They also underscored the need for effective initiatives to discourage building owners from using emergency exits for other purposes.
The BIP observed that agencies are flexible to influential muscle power and therefore cannot enforce laws against building owners. The state mechanism should adopt a zero-tolerance approach to ensuring compliance with construction regulations.
Sheikh Muhammad Mehedi Ahsan, general secretary of BIP, also stressed the urgency of proactive measures to avert similar tragedies in the future.