2600 buildings in Dhaka at risk of fire

A total of 2,603 buildings in the capital are at risk of fire, according to the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Of the buildings, 1,106 are shopping complexes. The risky buildings include educational institutions, hospitals, residential buildings and media houses.

This list of risky buildings has been made by conducting inspections between 2018 and 2023.

The fire service, however, could not inspect all buildings in Dhaka. As a result, the total number of risky buildings could not be known. The risky buildings have been categorised in two types. One type is risky and another type is highly risky.

The fire service couldn't inform this correspondent instantly as to how many buildings among 2603 are highly risky.

In 2023 the fire service inspected 58 shopping complexes. All of these buildings are more or less risky. Of these buildings, nine buildings are highly risky. Gausia Market is one of them. This market is popular among women. Thousands of customers shop from this market every day. However, the customers don't know that this building is highly risky.

New Market is opposite of Gausia Market.

The Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence declared the Gausia Market and the New Market highly risky in 2019 and issued notices more than once. However, no action has been taken. Meanwhile, the New Market caught fire in April last year.

Fire service officials said it would be difficult for the people to come out if the Gausia Market catches fire. So there is a fear of huge casualties.

After the fire broke out in Bangabazar Complex and Dhaka New Market in April 2023, the fire service started inspecting shopping complexes in the capital.

Fire service officials said while visiting Gausia Market they noticed that no steps were taken although the market had been declared highly risky four years ago. Later, they issued a letter. Still no action has been taken in one year.

Preferring not to be named, one of the officials, who inspected Gausia Market, said it would be difficult to get access to water if fire breaks out at Gausia Market. If the fire breaks out, there is no scope to extinguish fire in three sites of the market except the front. Goods have been kept in front of every shop and shops have been set on the stairs. Electric lines and meters are unprotected.

When the fire service inspected Gausia Market last year, Rafiqul Islam was the president of the shop owners' association of the Gausia Market.
When contacted, he declined to make any comment.

Current president of shop owners' association, Farid Uddin Ahmed also didn't make any comment.

He said the committee can talk on this. He doesn't know anything.
Women's wear are available at affordable prices at Gausia Market.

Takia Sultana who works for a clothing store, regularly goes to Gausia Market for shopping.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, she said she didn't notice any warning about the risk of fire anywhere in the market.

After the deaths of 46 people in the fire at the Green Cozy Cottage building on Bailey Road, the issue of risk of fire incidents in the capital came up for discussion. A portion of the eight-storey building was gutted on Thursday night. Most of the deceased people including women and children had been at the restaurants of the building.

The Fire Prevention and Extinguishing Act 2003 was formulated to reduce the fire risk.

According to the law, no-objection clearance has to be taken from the fire service to construct high-rise buildings in Dhaka city. The fire service gives no-objection clearance after observing various matters including width of the road in front of the building, fire safety plan as per the design of the building, alternative exit from the building and available water near the building. By showing this clearance certificate, the permission of the design of the building has to be taken from the RAJUK to start construction of the building.

The fire service, however, said most of the owners or authorities don't apply for fire licenses after the construction of the buildings. The plan which was made for fire safety ahead of the construction of the building, that plan was not implemented. As a result, applications are not filed for licenses.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Fire Service and Civil Defence director (operation and maintenance) Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury said owners of buildings are informed about the reasons of fire risks after inspection of buildings. The building owners are informed in writing to solve the problems. If the owners don't take any measures to tackle fire risks, letters are issued to alert. They cannot take any other effective measures rather than issuing letters.

According to the law, the fire licenses have to be renewed every year. The authorities of 17,861 buildings renewed licenses last year. Some 7141 organisations have taken new licenses.

There are no statistics as to how many buildings are in Dhaka.

According to a survey conducted in the Detailed Plan Area (DAP) of RAJUK, there were 21,47,174 establishments in 2016. At the time, there were 16,930 buildings which were over 6-storey.

A 21-storey building in Shyamoli caught fire last year. One was killed in that fire. Without disclosing the name of the building, the fire service officials said they inspected the building after two days of the fire incident and gave an opinion that the fire extinguishing system was not effective there. The building authorities were asked to make a plan of fire safety and to implement it. No step has been taken till now. The building houses a number of hospitals and commercial entities.

Fire service director Tajul Islam Chowdhury, speaking to Prothom Alo, said a warning notice is placed in front of the buildings which are highly risky after inspection. But that is removed.

The fire service inspected 58 shopping complexes in 2023 and found nine buildings highly risky. Except Gausia Market, other seven markets are Barishal Plaza in Fulbaria, Rajdhani Super Market In Tikatuli in Old Dhaka, Alauddin Market in Lalbagh, Shahidullah Market and Shakil Anwar in Chawkbazar, Sharif Market and Mayakatara (22 market) in Sadarghat and Rozlin Vista in Siddique Bazar.

The fire service inspected Rozlin Vista shopping complex in Siddique Bazar in Dhaka in April last year. The building was declared highly risky at the time. At that time, Abbas Uddin was general secretary of the shop owners's association.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said the shopping complex has been built. During the construction of the shopping complex, arrangements were not kept to ensure fire safety. As a result, it was not possible to take measures to tackle fire risks.

The fire service said there are more risky shopping complexes in Dhaka.

Deaths from incidents of fire and explosion in Dhaka are increasing. The picture of negligence and lack of monitoring are coming up after every incident.As the people are not aware of risks, they are dying while going to eat, shop and live.

Muktar Hossain has lost his daughter, his son-in-law and their four-year grandchild in Bailey Road fire.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said the lives of people come first. The building owners have to take steps to eliminate all risks. If not, the government should demolish the buildings.

*This story, originally published in Prothom Alo print and online editions, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam