After three major fire incidents in Dhaka in two months, the city development authority is launching a special drive to inspect fire safety measures of building.
Rajdhani Unnyan Katripakkha (RAJUK) has assigned 24 teams, which will start working from Monday, media reports quoted the housing and public works minister saying on Sunday (Mar 31).
SM Rezaul Karim’s announcement came during a meeting at the RAJUK headquarters.
“We will take strict action against any and every building that has violated regulations.
“From Monday onwards, 24 Rajuk teams will work to this end,” he was quoted by the media.
The minister announced the special 15-day drive on Saturday hours after a devastating fire at the makeshift market near the Gulshan-1 DNCC Market burning down nearly 300 shops but there were no casualties.
He then warned that RAJUK may demolish buildings that do not meet fire safety standards ‘if necessary’.
The DNCC market fire happened just two days after the blaze at the multi-storey ‘FR Tower’ in the capital’s Banani killing 26 people.
In February, a fast-moving fire, which swept through several buildings, claimed 71 lives at Old Dhaka’s Chawkbazar.
At the RAJUK meeting on Monday, Housing Minister Karim said that the building code between 1996 and 2008 did not stipulate fire extinguishers as mandatory.
“We will adjust those rules accordingly to ensure fire safety,” he was quoted by the media.
The minister also urged tenants to be careful about renting houses.
“Check to see if the building you are renting has proper fire safety measures. Make sure the building has emergency exits. If not, then do not rent those houses for your own safety.”
He mentioned that when the investigation report is complete, it will be presented to the public via mass media.
“Before, when an accident occurred, we would only take action against the building owners and developers. Now we have decided to hold the pertinent authorities accountable as well.”