Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) declared Bangabazar Complex very risky in 2019 and a signboard was hung in this regard, but the businessmen did not pay heed to the warning messages.
Brig Gen Md Main Uddin, director general (DG) of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence, came up with the information on Tuesday.
After the notices were served, it was the city corporation and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha’s responsibility to take further action. When asked whether it is because of their negligence that caused Tuesday’s situation at Bangabazar, the FSCD director general replied, “I don't have an answer to this question. You better ask the organisations you mentioned.”
Following the fire at Banani’s FR Tower, the fire service department declared the Bangabazar Shopping Complex a fire risk on April 1, 2019.
According to fire service’s 2018-19 annual report, several major fire incidents, including ones at Churihatta, FR Tower, Gulshan DNCC kitchen market and Khilgaon kitchen market, took place between February and April of 2019. The fire service carried out a survey of 3,786 institutions and establishments and found 541 shopping complexes and markets very vulnerable to fire.
The FSCD later put banners in front of the vulnerable markets, with the Bangabazar Shopping Complex being the first.
Sources saidin 2018 the fire service held a meeting with members of the Bangabazar Business Association regarding the safety of this market. At that time, they were given various suggestions on what to do about the issue.
