Inadequate Fire Safety Measures: 3 out of 4 city markets risky

Three in four markets and shopping arcades in Dhaka city lack proper fire safety measures, according to a Fire Service and Civil Defence inspection report.

The fire service inspected 58 markets and shopping arcades last year and found nine of them to be "highly risky" and 35 "risky".

The remaining 14 had satisfactory fire safety measures in place, said the report.

The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the report that is yet to be made public.

The fire service classifies "highly risky" or "risky" structures based on criteria, like the number of staircases for entries and exits, space in staircases, the number of fire extinguishers present, availability of fire hydrants, and the capacity of water reservoirs.

"This is dangerous. However, awareness and coordinated enforcement efforts to ensure fire safety can improve the situation," Brig Gen Md Main Uddin, director general of the fire service, told The Daily Star.

He claimed that the risky establishments did not follow the Bangladesh National Building Code.

During a visit to four markets over the last two days, these correspondents found them lacking enough extinguishers, fire hydrants, and firehoses. Some had fire exits obstructed.

The three-storey Gausia Market, with over 315 shops, has seven staircases for entries and exits, but those were obstructed by piles of clothes at places.

Only a handful of fire extinguishers were found on the walls.

The fire service classified the market as "highly risky" in 2020 and then again in April 2023 as it lacked fire hydrants and an inadequate water reserve.

Rafiqul Islam, a leader of the Gausia Market Shop Owners' Association, claimed that they now have enough water in reserve and wider staircases. He said the market was only "highly risky" as it stores flammable materials.

About the piles of clothes in the staircases, he told The Daily Star, "It happens as shop owners bring in extra clothes ahead of Eid." They would be removed soon and more fire extinguishers would be placed, he added.

"Highly risky" Rajdhani Supermarket, with about 1,500 shops, has no fire hydrants. During a visit last Thursday, these correspondents did not find any fire extinguishers in 300 shops.

"No one told us about having any fire safety equipment," said a shop owner, requesting anonymity.

Faznun Hoque Biplob, a leader of the Shop Owner's Association, hung up when he learnt a reporter was on the line asking for comments and did not pick up further calls.

"Highly risky" five-storey Sharif Market in Sadarghat has three staircases, but there were no fire extinguishers seen on the walls.

The leaders of the market owners' association refused to talk to this newspaper.

The six other "highly risky" markets are Barishal Plaza Market in Bangabazar, Alauddin Market in Lalbagh, Shahidullah Market and Shakil Anwar Tower in Chawakbazar, Maya Katara in Sadarghat, and Rosenil Vista in Siddique Bazar.

Abdul Wadud, former president of Rosenil Vista Shop Owners' Association, said, "Our market has no flammable materials. So, we don't believe our market is highly risky."

POINTING FINGERS

Brig Gen Abu Nayem Md Sahidullah, former director general of the fire service, pointed at the lack of coordination between the authorities issuing permits, approvals, and licences for buildings.

"When an incident occurs, one organisation blames another organisation," he said.

Echoing him, Adil Mohammad Khan, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, said, "Most of our city buildings do not have effective fire safety measures and fire safety plans.

"It comes to light after almost all the accidents that the fire service had served a notice upon the building authorities stating that the buildings were risky. But no action had been taken."

Contacted, Lt Col Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director (operations) of the fire service, said, "We cannot do much even if we want to because we don't have the enforcement power. If we had a magistrate, then we could have conducted drives regularly and taken action."

The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) blamed the fire service for not sending them the list of buildings violating fire safety rules.

Md Ashraful Islam, Rajuk chief town planner, told this newspaper, "Last year, we had prepared a list of 691 risky buildings in the capital. We recently visited 20 risky markets and gave them a verbal warning. We will start our drive soon after finalising the list."

NATIONWIDE INSPECTION

The fire service inspected 5,374 markets and institutions across the country in 2023. Of these, 3,256 were found to have had satisfactory fire safety measures in place.

Of the rest, 424 were classified as "highly risky".

The fire service said 39.41 percent of buildings across the country are "risky". In 2022, the percentage of "risky" buildings was 53.78.

Even though repeated notices have been issued to the owners of some risky buildings, problems have not been rectified.

Lt Col Tajul said, "We have decided to file cases against the [authorities of] risky buildings who did not pay heed to our notices."