The government and private sector will have to work jointly to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and establish joint-venture partnerships in fire safety and security industries in the country to reduce import dependency and increase local production as well as exports.

The market for fire safety and security has rapidly become larger as awareness and consciousness among people in building infrastructure has increased after some incidents.

Salman F Rahman, prime minister’s private industry and investment adviser, made these remarks while attending as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the 9th International Fire Safety and Security Expo at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in Dhaka on Saturday.

The Electronics Safety and Security Association of Bangladesh (ESSAB) organised the three-day expo, which will end on 19 February.

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Mahbubul Alam, Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Brig Gen Md Main Uddin, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan, ESSAB President Md Niaz Ali Chisty, Senior Vice-President SM Shahjahan, and Secretary General Zakir Uddin Ahmed were present at the event among others.

Addressing structural planning to reduce fire incidents, Salman said, “Bangladesh's RMG industry is now the safest in the globe. We should ensure preventive measures by strengthening regulatory affairs so that such incidents do not happen in our building, infrastructure, and industries.”

In his address, ESSAB President Niaz Ali put emphasis on policy support to increase production and boost exports as well as expansion of the sector.

Nowadays, fire safety and security has become a major challenge in the expansion of the country’s economy, he said.

Integrated policy support to ensure fire safety and security in factories would play a pivotal role in attracting local and foreign investments, ensuring sustainable development, and overcoming LDC graduation challenges, Niaz added.