Burning cities: Profit over people?

Bangladesh is witnessing a frightening surge of fire outbreaks, affecting both densely populated commercial and residential areas. The Baily Road tragedy, which resulted in the death of 46 lives, is a clear indication of the escalating crisis. This raises a crucial question: are such incidents a result of engineering faults or social negligence?

According to the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD), there were 27,624 fires in 2023 which resulted in the death of 102 people and injuries to 281 others. The estimated loss caused by these fires was around Tk792 crore, as reported by the FSCD. 

The leading causes of these incidents were electric short circuits (35.52%), burning cigarettes (17.76%), oven-related incidents (15.11%), playing with fire (3.34%), gas pipeline leakage (2.79%), explosion of gas cylinders and boilers (0.45%), and firecracker explosions (0.32%). Despite the devastating human and economic costs of fire, fire safety rules are routinely ignored, leading to an increase in fire incidents over the last four years. 

Our buildings are often constructed with a blatant disregard for fire safety. Codes, meant to be the armour against flames, are routinely bypassed or ignored. Inflammable materials are used and stored with reckless abandon, electrical wiring is a chaotic labyrinth, and fire suppression systems are absent or poorly maintained.

The Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) is a crucial document for ensuring fire safety in buildings. However, its implementation remains a significant challenge. 

According to BNBC, high-rise buildings are defined as any building that is more than 10-storey or 33m high from ground level. These buildings have to be equipped with hydrant and sprinkler systems so water is sprayed automatically if the room temperature goes above 62 degrees Celsius. Fire Service and Civil Defense need to check for sprinklers installed every 10 feet. 

There must be a minimum of two stairs in high-rise buildings with floor areas larger than 500 m² on each level used as assembly, educational, institutional, production, storage or mixed-use occupancy. Fire exits need to have doors that block out fire and smoke, but the Dhaka Metropolis Building Construction Rules 2008 allow 10-story residential buildings with only one staircase and exit.

The BNBC mandates fire-resistant construction, fire detection and alarm systems, multiple escape means, firefighting equipment, smoke management systems, and regular fire drills and training. However, despite these comprehensive laws, there are still numerous explosions due to a lack of accountability and the absence of an implementing authority. The revised National Building Code 2020, requires an authority to implement the revised code, but no such authority has been established yet.

Several key players, such as RAJUK (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha), the fire department and city corporations, have a large portion of the responsibility to address this difficulty. They are tasked with approving building plans, conducting rigorous inspections, identifying and penalising violators, and ensuring compliance with the BNBC. Nonetheless, enforcement is frequently weakened by a culture of benefits and shortcuts. Corruption and a lack of manpower often render inspections a mere formality. 

But the onus doesn't solely lie with authorities. Building owners, driven by short-term gains, often prioritise cost-cutting over safety. The pursuit of profit often overshadows safety concerns. A lack of basic fire safety features like fire doors, sprinklers, and smoke alarms is commonplace, creating a ticking time bomb. Regular maintenance of electrical systems and fire escapes is also frequently neglected. 

While builders are required to obtain approval from 11 authorities, including the Fire Service, many do not. In some cases, building owners even violate safety designs and engage in bribery and corruption to get approval for their plans. From January 2020 to December 2023, firefighters inspected 24,193 buildings and identified 7,801 with risks. Among these, 1,803 were at high risk.

However, it's not just the authorities and building owners who are responsible for fire safety. Users also play a big role. Overloading circuits, improper storage of flammable materials and a general lack of awareness about fire safety protocols all contribute significantly to the risk of fire. Simple acts like ensuring proper disposal of cigarette butts or learning basic fire escape routes can make a life-or-death difference.

The current crisis demands a collaborative effort on multiple fronts to ensure fire safety. Architects and engineers must prioritise fire safety in design by incorporating fire-resistant materials, designated escape routes and robust fire suppression systems as core elements of the construction process. 

Authorities such as RAJUK and the FSCD must enforce the BNBC with unwavering rigour, implement stricter approval processes, and have the necessary resources and manpower to conduct thorough inspections and hold violators accountable for non-compliance. This approach will not hinder the progress of infrastructure development. Rather, it will ensure that the infrastructure is safe and sustainable for the city dwellers.

Building owners are obligated to install firefighting equipment and adhere to fire safety regulations. They need to obtain Fire Service approval before completing building construction. The building has to be inspected by the Fire Service to ensure it complies with all fire safety design specifications and provides adequate firefighting equipment. A No Objection Certificate (NOC) will only be issued by the Fire Service at that point. Owners will be obliged to prioritise safety measures if more stringent laws are implemented and high penalties are imposed for violations of fire safety.

Initiatives to raise public awareness are essential to ensuring fire safety. Citizens can be better equipped to take preventative action and respond to crises by receiving education on best practices for fire safety, appropriate evacuation plans and campaigns, and responsible management of flammables. If someone finds buildings not complying with fire safety, he or she should avoid those establishments. 

This fight requires collective action. Each of us has a role to play, from engineers to educators, enforcers to everyday citizens. Only then can we extinguish the flames that threaten to consume our cities. Let us give fire safety the utmost priority in terms of not just design but also enforcement, education, and social accountability. Let's construct sanctuaries rather than merely buildings. Let our cities become safety nets of security instead of careless pyres. Now is the moment to take action, before flames claim another life.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed is the Associate Director at Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management (BIGM), Former Secretary of the Power Division, Former Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), and Former Director-General of the Department of Environment.

Nafisa Binte Farid Prova is a BSc in Civil Engineering from Islamic University of Technology (IUT) and a Research Associate at Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management (BIGM)

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.