Over 100 Dhaka school buildings in risky state

At least 106 educational institutions in Dhaka city have turned into ‘death traps’ for thousands of students due to the threat of fire and building collapse. With dilapidated structures and the absence of fire safety measures, students attend classes at the risk of their lives, while parents live in constant fear.

Urban planners and safety experts have stressed the urgent need for regular renovation and monitoring, proper building designs, as well as mandatory fire exits, fire alarms, emergency drills, and safety training in schools and colleges.

A recent survey revealed that out of 667 educational institutions in Dhaka, 106 are highly vulnerable. The recent devastating fire at Milestone School and College, triggered by the crash of a training aircraft, has raised serious concerns about the preparedness and capacity of educational institutions to handle such disasters. Past incidents of fire and building collapse in coaching centers and private schools also worsened due to lack of readiness.

Parents in fear for children’s safety

Visiting different schools in the capital, parents expressed that after the Milestone College accident, their fear has multiplied.

They said after every accident, there is an uproar for a few days. Then everything falls silent again, and no effective measures are taken to prevent or manage such disasters.

“We send our children to school every day with trembling hearts, while the authorities escape responsibility by promising that ‘an investigation will be done’ or ‘steps will be taken,’” some parents complained. They asked, “How many more deaths will it take for the authorities to finally wake up?”

Mehedi Hasan, a father, voiced his anger, saying “We do everything to ensure our children’s safety—give them healthy food, raise them in a secure environment. Yet, the moment we send them to school, our hearts sink. The Milestone College incident has clearly shown how unsafe our children really are.”

Another parent, Mosammat Asma, shared similar concerns “My child’s school has only one exit, while there are over a thousand students inside. If an accident happens, there will be no way out. The children may die being crushed in the stampede. Yet, with this fear, we have no choice but to send them every day.”

The family of Milestone College student Sraban is still traumatized. He was absent on the day of the accident, narrowly escaping tragedy. But his family has decided not to send him back to that institution.

“Life is more important than education. If our children are not safe, then what meaning does education hold?” said one of Sraban’s relatives.

Negligent authorities, limited fire service capacity

Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, Director of Fire Service and Civil Defense, said “We regularly conduct magistrate court operations to seal off risky buildings and impose fines. At least once a week, drives are carried out in every thana or upazila of Dhaka city.”

However, he openly admitted to limitations, saying "Shortage of manpower and limited authority have slowed down our work. Since we do not have our own executive magistrates, we cannot impose immediate punitive measures. As a result, many institutions avoid responsibility.”

Urban planners and safety specialists warned that educational institutions should have been centers of both knowledge and safety. Instead, they are now breeding grounds of fear and uncertainty. Dhaka is the heart of the country—if its schools become death traps, then where lies the safe future for our next generation?.

They believe that until strict monitoring and punitive action are enforced alongside proper safety measures, students’ lives will continue to remain at risk.

Md. Borad Hossain Chowdhury, Joint Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, told Views Bangladesh that “We are not aware of risky educational institutions. However, we will investigate the matter and take swift action.”