Those who play recklessly with life, bring them under purview of punishment

On February 29th, a tragic fire incident at a building (Green Cozy Cottage) on Bailey Road in the capital resulted in the loss of nearly fifty lives. This tragic incident of the fire has deeply saddened and affected every conscientious individual in the country. Such incidents of tragic fires are never acceptable in any way. Certainly, it is true that fire incidents, one of the most significant and widespread disasters, are not new in the bustling capital of Dhaka. Occasionally, we find ourselves as witnesses to such tragic accidents. When a fire or any similar accident occurs in a place, there is often a flurry of activities and discussions for a few days. Investigative committees are formed, and the matter is pressed. Perhaps another incident occurs, and the memory of the previous one fades from our minds.

This pattern continues year after year. However, when it comes to preventing or controlling fires or other similar accidents, we are never as vigilant. As a result, such accidents continue to occur somewhat unabated. Each accident results in loss of life and property. We often accept this loss somewhat passively. However, if we had been more vigilant from the beginning, we could have reduced the frequency of accidents like fires. Even if accidents did occur, we could have limited the extent of their damage to a more manageable level. In other words, I mean to say that if the general public is made more aware of accidents, the extent of the damage can be significantly controlled.

Fires have taken on a menacing form in the country. Especially when a fire incident occurs in a commercial building, its impact is extremely significant. And the amount of damage incurred is comparatively higher than any other accident. In the capital, it's not just commercial buildings where fires occur; often, residential buildings also experience dangerous fire incidents. Such fires result in extensive damage to life and property. There can be multiple reasons behind any fire incident. Whether a building constructed adhering to the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC), 2020, has adequate fire prevention measures implemented during its construction significantly influences the likelihood of fire incidents occurring in it. It is crucial to assess whether proper fire prevention measures were taken during the construction of the building.

Based on initial information, it has been found that the building on Bailey Road where the recent fire incident occurred had its origin on the ground floor. This means that the fire started from the ground floor of the building. From there, the flames and smoke spread upwards. After the fire broke out on the ground floor, everyone involved tried to extinguish the fire, but they were unsuccessful in their efforts. The reason was that there were several gas cylinders in the building's staircase. When the fire broke out, gas leaked from those cylinders, exacerbating the danger of the fire. Unfortunately, there were not enough emergency exits provided in the building to evacuate safely during the crisis. Due to the insufficient number of Emergency exits, many people were unable to evacuate safely after the fire broke out. If there had been adequate arrangements for stairs as an alternative path for evacuation, perhaps many of those individuals could have been saved from the tragedy.


The engineers who designed this building certainly followed the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) while designing it. They must have incorporated provisions to mitigate the damage in case of a fire incident. Now the question arises: Was the approved design strictly adhered to during the construction phase of the building? Here, a variation could occur. There were multiple restaurants in the building, where cooking was always ongoing. Gas was used for cooking in these restaurants. During the fire incident, these gas cylinders exploded, making the situation even more dangerous. When a building has establishments like restaurants, additional fire safety measures are required. However, it seems that such provisions were lacking in this building. Moreover, if there were additional emergency exits in the building, many people could have quickly evacuated from the upper floors to the lower levels.

In various countries around the world, fire-resistant materials are used during building construction. As a result, even if a fire incident occurs in the building, the damage is not as severe. Although Bangladesh faces a high risk of fire incidents, fire-resistant materials are not always used during building construction. Many people opt for using ordinary materials during building construction to save on costs. They fail to realize that although using regular materials may save some money, it also exposes them to the risk of danger.

Those employed in fire safety, such as the fire brigade, need to enhance their skills through appropriate training and increasing their manpower. This ensures that in the event of a fire incident in any building, they can quickly reach the site and effectively mitigate the damage. If members of the fire brigade can swiftly arrive at the scene of a fire incident, the extent of damage can be significantly limited. In many cases, the roads in Dhaka city are extremely congested, especially the old roads which are very narrow. As a result, in such areas, fire brigade vehicles cannot quickly reach the scene in the event of a fire incident. The distance that could possibly be covered in 30 minutes may take 1 to 1.5 hours to surpass. This delay often results in a significant increase in the extent of damage caused by the fire incidents.

Another complex issue in combating fires in the capital city of Dhaka is the problem of inadequate water supply. The water supply systems in Dhaka are often overloaded due to unplanned construction of various establishments and buildings. As a result, even in the capital city, sufficient water supply is not always available when needed. Due to the lack of water, firefighters often struggle to collect the necessary water for their operations. As a result, even when fire brigade vehicles arrive at the scene of the incident, they may not be able to start firefighting operations effectively due to the shortage of water.

To evacuate a building quickly in the event of a fire, steps can be taken to raise awareness among the public on how to do so effectively. Practical training sessions can be periodically organized for this purpose. In the event of a fire in a building, alarms should be activated promptly to alert occupants. Efforts should be made to ensure that everyone in the family remains calm and takes quick action to evacuate the building using alternative routes if necessary. For this purpose, every building, especially multi-storey buildings, must have multiple evacuation routes in place, preferably established during the construction phase. Not everyone can quickly and safely descend using stairs if desired. Therefore, it is imperative to train them adequately on how to navigate such situations.

Many people think, "There hasn't been a fire in our building, so why do we need awareness?" However, it's important to remember that emergencies can occur unexpectedly. Therefore, we must always be prepared to deal with emergencies effectively. In our country, it is often observed that when a fire or any other accident occurs, there is a flurry of activity for a few days. Investigation committees are formed. However, in most cases, the reports of these investigation committees are not published. And even if the report is published, actions are taken based on the recommendations of the investigation committee in very few cases. No matter what is done, taking action after the accident will do nothing. Therefore, the initiative should be taken so that the accident does not happen or even if it happens, remedial measures can be taken immediately.

Those who reside in buildings must be aware of safety precautions. The most important thing is to construct buildings in such a way during construction that they can withstand accidents. Using substandard materials to save costs should never be an option when constructing a building. If buildings are constructed using disaster-resistant materials, then even if accidents occur, the damage will be minimal. Prior caution in building construction plays an extremely important role in preventing accidents. Those responsible for supervising the construction of buildings in the capital must ensure their diligence along with their responsibility. If stakeholders fulfill their responsibilities properly, it is not possible for anyone to construct a building using substandard materials by overlooking the building code. It is necessary to keep certain spaces empty in front of and around each building. However, in most cases, it is observed that many overlook the building code and construct buildings, putting their own future at risk. This can never be acceptable.

In this regard, strict enforcement of existing laws must be ensured. If anyone disregards the building code and constructs buildings according to their own wishes, such buildings can be sealed off. In extreme cases, the building may even be demolished. Compromising someone else's life for one's own convenience can never be justified. In advanced countries, the rate of accidents is very low because building codes are followed correctly during construction. Before establishing establishments such as hotels and restaurants, it is necessary to check whether there are fire service offices nearby and whether there is a good arrangement for transportation. Because there is often a higher risk of fire incidents in hotels and restaurants. Therefore, sufficient caution must be exercised when granting approval for the establishment of such institutions. In many cases, establishments like hotels and restaurants are built without proper authorization. Such propensities need to be rigorously regulated.

The importance of the capital city Dhaka is increasing day by day. It is imperative for us to consider the probable circumstances of the next 50 years before initiating any construction projects. In developed countries, roads and buildings are planned and constructed properly to ensure that they are environmentally sustainable and disaster-resistant. In the future, when constructing buildings and other structures in the city of Dhaka, it is essential for relevant authorities to maintain strict scrutiny to ensure that they are environmentally friendly and resilient to disasters.

Residential buildings should be prohibited from being used for commercial purposes. It is even more crucial to ensure that no commercial activities such as hotels or restaurants are operated in any residential building. And if the residential building is allowed for commercial use for any reason, then first of all it should be ensured that the building is fire resistant.

Those who ignore building codes while constructing buildings may face stringent penalties under the prevailing laws of the country. No one should be allowed to play with people's lives and properties. Let the Bailey Road fire tragedy be the last one. No one wants any more fire incidents.

Author: Senior Assistant Engineer, Local Government Engineering Department and Research Fellow, University of Quebec, Canada.