The government has taken an initiative to construct modern fire stations in textile factory areas to prevent acts of arson.
Fire Service and Civil Defence division has informed that to ensure fire safety, stations will be established in Ashulia, Gazipur, Konabari, Kasimour, Narayanganj, Sonargaon, Karnaphuli and Khulshi in Chittagong, Moheshkhali in Cox’s Bazaar and Ishwardi in Pabna.
In 2001, there were 6,051 fire incidents across the country which went up to 18,105 in 2018. Of these, 259 were in textile factories.
The loss from the fire at garment industries in the last three years stands at around Tk 4.67 billion.
According to the fire department, each new station will be a six-storied building. For the Ruppur Nuclear Plant, there will be a six-storied staff quarter which will be built at a cost of Tk 6.29 billion.
The establishment of fire stations is essential because many textile zones are far away from the closest station and the foreign buyers have put in a pre-condition of proper fire service facilities for buying clothes from Bangladesh.
DG of Fire Service and Civil Defence, Brig Ali Mohammad Khan, said, “The work for the modern stations will commence soon; first, the land has to be bought and then, following the proper tender process, work will start.”
It will take about a year and a half, he added.
“These stations will have the special and modern equipment.”