Home ›› 06 Apr 2023 ›› Editorial
On 02 April 2019, the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence hung a banner on the Bangabazar Shopping Complex declaring it to be in serious danger of catching fire. Not only that, but the organization also reportedly notified the complex authorities about the complex being at serious risk of catching fire. After carrying out a survey on 3,786 institutions and establishments it found out that 541 shopping complex and markets were vulnerable to catching fire.
Their warning fell on deaf ears. Of the 541 shopping complexes and markets, the Fire Service authorities hung the banner first at Bangabazar Shopping Complex, one of the biggest markets in Dhaka. Coincidentally it was the first of the 541 vulnerable shopping complexes and markets that were on the flame at the dawn of 04 April burning everything to ashes. Now cries of shopkeepers, traders and employees are rendering the air heavy. But weeping and wailing can’t cover up their loss. Many of them are now flat-broke.
Before the explosion at the BM Container Depot in December of 2022 a similar warning message was given to the higher authorities of the said organization and it was blatantly disregarded. The fire followed by an explosion killed 51 people and injured over 200 others.
The fire at Bangabazar Shopping Complex was brought under control after a frantic effort of 50 units of firefighters along with members of the Army and Navy.
This fire incident happened in just one month of three other major fire incidents. It all began with the fire triggered by a devastating explosion at Shema Oxygen Oxico Ltd in the Kadamrasul area in Chattogram’s Sitakunda Upzila. That fire killed six people and injured 25 others. The very next day another fire at a building in the Science Lab area of the capital killed three people and injured more than 50 people. This fire too was followed by a big bang.
Just two days after the fire in the Science Lab area another devastating fire after a huge explosion at a building in the Gulistan area killed more than 20 people on 07 March and injured over 200 others. No matter what the causes were behind such fire incidents what matters and worries us is barely any actions and measures are taken to stop the recurrence of such fires that not only claim people’s lives but also inflict damage to wealth and properties.
A five-member probe committee was formed to investigate the causes of the fire. The committee was asked to submit its report within seven days. The formation of such a probe body is a kind of routine work we see after each and every fire. Previously in this column, we tried to stress the fact that only probe committees can’t prevent fire incidents. What we need is the implementation of the reports of those probe committees.
Apart from this, what is more, significant is an extensive programme to be taken to cover all aspects of safety and security of crowded places, markets and shopping malls. In most of those crowded places, no safety precautionary measures are in place to prevent any fire incident. The fire that razed the Bangabazar Shopping Complex to the ground was full of highly flammable materials. It was in everybody’s knowledge but no fire prevention plan was in place there.
How could such a crowded place and that too with flammable materials have remained unguarded without any fire prevention plan is a matter of great concern? This is a puzzling question as no measures have been taken after even being notified 10 times that this market is a highly risky place and vulnerable to fire.
