Rajshahi at risk of terrible fire anytime: Part 2

After the deadly Bailey Road fire in the capital that claimed dozens of life, the issue of fire safety in different cities across the country has come to the fore. A thorough investigation by the Vies Bangladesh revealed that the divisional city of Rajshahi is also at risk of terrible fire incident at any moment.

Deputy Director of Rajshahi Division Fire Service Ohidul Islam said, "Our DG approves a fire safety plan for all the multi-storey buildings that are being built or existing. We approve the fire safety plan on behalf of Rajshahi Development Authority (RDA). But the problem is once the plan is approved no one monitors whether it is implemented at all. The developers construct the building as they please. They keep only one staircase in a building, and do not install any fire extinguishing system. Roughly, 99 percent of buildings in Rajshahi are unsafe.”

“We are doing various things to increase public awareness. We are providing training, besides conducting mass communication. But if people don't understand what can we do? We do not have the power to enforce the law. As per the law, there is a fine or jail term for violation of fire safety rules. A magistrate is needed for this. But the magistrate does not want to conduct a mobile court with us.”

Contacted regarding fire safety issues in Rajshahi, Mohammad Hemayetul Islam, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime and Operations) of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP), said, "It is basically the responsibility of the district administration. The district administration along with the fire service should take legal action against the markets at risk of fire. On behalf of the police, we are putting up signboards to warn the public that ‘it is under risk of fire as declared by the fire service’.”

According to the fire service, five markets in Rajshahi are at risk of fire. The five markets are RDA Market in Saheb Bazar, Samabay Market, Kaparpatti, Rajshahi New Market in the Shosthitola, and Hargram New Market. Among them, RDA Market is owned by Rajshahi Development Authority. The Samabay Market is under the Cooperatives Department. Kaparpatti has been built with shops of ordinary traders. Besides, Rajshahi New Market and Hargram New Market belong to Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC).

Whenever warning banners are put up in front of the markets by the fire service, they disappear overnight. In this regard, Hemayetul Islam said, "Those who do business there may have vested interests. We will take legal action if those in the fire service who hanged it file a GD in this regard.”

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Kalyan Chowdhury was called on his mobile phone to inquire about the buildings at risk of fire in Rajshahi and what measures Rajshahi district administration is taking to ensure fire safety, but he did not receive the call.

The RDA market is the most vulnerable among the markets. There are 1,952 shops in this three-storey market surrounded by narrow streets on three sides. There is no way for fire service vehicles to enter in case of emergency. Although there is a wide road in front of the market, vehicles cannot enter due to the main gate.

On the night of January 8, a fire broke out in a godown, situated on the first floor of a building, of a grocery store located outside the main gate of the market. Ten units of fire service brought the fire under control after trying for about two hours from the main road. If the fire spread to the main market, there was possibility of extensive damage and many casualties.

A few years ago, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Public Works recommended the demolition of the RDA Market due to the extreme risk of fire. But the market is not yet broken. Many people shop in this market every day. Hundreds of people throng the market during Eid.

Contacted over the issue of inadequate fire safety measures of the market, RDA Market’s Traders Association general secretary Farhad Mamud Hasan declined to make any comment on the issue. RDA Market Traders Association President Farid Mahmud Hasan's mobile phone was found switched off when called.

Commenting on the fire safety issue of Kaparpatti Market, Shamim Ahmed, General Secretary of Bastra Byabsayi Samity, said, "Our market is not dangerous at all. They (fire service) put up the fire warning banner just because they want to do so. Our market is running smoothly, nothing has happened so far.”
Informing that nothing has happened in a year after the fire service termed it risky; he claimed that they have water sources in the shops. “We have all arrangements," he concluded.

On the other hand, when Md Munjur Hossain, General Secretary of Rajshahi New Market Traders Association, was contacted over the mobile phone, another person received the call informing that he had gone out.

Commenting on the fire safety of Sandalpatti Market, Rajshahi City Footwear Small Business Owners Cooperative Association President Shafiqur Rahman Ripon claimed that there is no risk of fire in their market.

"The structure of our market is completely open. It is not a big market, rather a small one beside the road. There is no risk here,” he boasted.

Former Chief Executive Officer of RCC Dr ABM Sharif Uddin said, "These matters are under the jurisdiction of fire service and civil defense or district administration. If the mayor wants, he can tell all the organisations or offices to work in coordination."

In reply to a query over what steps the RCC has taken to ensure fire safety in the markets of Rajshahi city, Chief Engineer of the city corporation Md Nur Islam said, "I don't know anything about this. We do not give any permission for the building. The RDA approves the plan for building, it is their responsibility.”
Bani Ahsan, city planner of RCC, said, “We are considering what can be done about the fire fighting system. But we are yet to implement any particular plan.”

Repeated attempts were made to contact RDA Chairman (Joint Secretary) Ziaul Haque over his mobile phone to inquire about what measures RDA is taking to ensure fire safety in the city, but he did not receive the calls.

(This is the last part of a 2-part series)
More read: Part 1