Most of the markets and shopping malls in the port city have been marked as risky in terms of fire safety, according to a recent survey of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Chattogram.

However, the authorities concerned, including the fire service, Chattogram City Corporation and Chattogram Development Authority, are all passing the buck to evade responsibilities.

In the survey, carried out last year, the fire service said 42 markets including those in the city's business hubs Riazuddin Bazar and Chaktai-Khatunganj are at grave risk of fire.

The other markets and malls bearing fire risks include: Haque Market, Sajan Super Market, Bakhteyar Market, Bolir Hat Market, Vera Market, Chaktai Rice Market, Khatunganj, Asadganj, Mia Khan Nagar Market, Naya Bazar Market, Failla Tali Market, Chakview Market, Teri Bazar, Andarkillah Market, Singapore Market in Halishahar and Karnaphuli Market.

Two fires broke out in the Riazuddin Bazar area on February 8 and March 16. No major damage was recorded in the incidents.

Of the total 18,500 buildings in the city, nearly 1,750, including commercial places and residential buildings, are at high risk of fire, the survey revealed.

The fire service classifies a structure as "highly risky" or "risky" based on different criteria including the number of staircases for entries and emergency exits, space in staircases, number of fire extinguishers present, availability of fire hydrants, and the capacity of water reservoirs.

Over the past several years, fire service officials have been asking the market authorities to upgrade their fire safety measures but none paid any heed to the warnings, said Dinamoni Sharma, deputy director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defense Headquarters in Agrabad.

New Market, Riazuddin Bazar, Jahur Hawkers' market and its adjacent area are at high fire risk. Thousands of people come to these places every day. The CDA and CCC must launch drives against those who violated the fire safety guidelines during construction of the buildings, he added.

Contacted, Md Abu Issa Anshary, CDA's Building Construction Committee chairman and deputy chief town planner, said, "Before approving any building design, CDA checks fire safety plans from fire service and other necessary documents from departments concerned. After ensuring the documents, we approve the building construction plan."

"I am unaware of the recent survey of the fire service as they did not communicate with us in this regard. Also, CCC is the responsible authority to check the implementation of fire safety plans in the buildings, not CDA," he added.

He, however, admitted that there has yet been any drive conducted against building owners who violated fire safety rules during construction in recent time.

Mohammed Shaheen-ul-Islam Chowdhury, superintendent engineer (civil) of CCC, said the fire service and CDA should identify the risky establishments and notify the CCC. There is no clear direction on which organisation will supervise the fire safety of buildings during construction or operation, he added.

However, CCC has recently opened a Drainage and Disaster Department to look into the issue, he added.