C T Online Desk: The lack of adequate passage for fire-fighting vehicles and easy access to water sources, as well as the absence of fire safety measures, continue to pose serious risks to life and property in the port city’s bustling markets.
Violation of building codes by market owners and inadequate monitoring by authorities are the primary reasons for this situation. The Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) officials are concerned that the loss of life and property in a fire incident at Chattogram’s markets could be significantly higher than that at Bangabazar in Dhaka.
Despite the FSCD’s previous surveys of markets, hospitals, and high-rises in the city and the identification of risk factors on numerous occasions, the situation has yet to improve.
The recent devastating fire at Bangabazar has brought the issue back into focus. The FSCD has started a survey of risky markets and high-rises, and has held meetings with traders’ associations to encourage them to ensure fire safety measures.
Following the Banga-bazar fire, the FSCD sent a letter to the large market traders requesting the removal of all cooking burners in eateries and mess halls owned by staff, as well as water heaters, to reduce the risk.
The markets at high risk in the city include Reazuddin Bazar, Tamakumandi Lane, Jahur Hawkers’ Market, and Terri Bazar.
To accommodate the growing population in the port city, many markets and shopping malls have been developed in different areas, most of which have violated building codes and fire safety regulations.
While it is mandatory to obtain a license from the fire department for developing any commercial or residential building over six-storeys, many markets have been developed haphazardly.
Reazuddin Bazar, Tamakumandi Lane, Jahur Hawkers’ Market, and Terri Bazar are the worst-affected markets, with hundreds of buildings and thousands of shops developed in an unplanned way.
Every day, several lakh people visit the markets to buy goods to meet their daily needs.
Although the FSCD is now adequately equipped, the lack of water sources, narrow alleys, overhead electric wires, and traffic congestion severely hamper the smooth operation of firefighting.
According to FSCD Chattogram Deputy Director (DD) Md Abdul Halim, the markets lack sufficient passage for sophisticated long and high firefighting vehicles, and easy access to water reservoirs.
In addition to the highly combustible objects in the markets, there are eateries, mess rooms for owners and staff, and kitchens, making the situation even more dangerous.
Halim also stated that most of the markets were developed in violation of the building codes and FSCD conditions.
Halim expressed concern that the accommodation of people in markets containing highly combustible items would undoubtedly cause unpredictable damage to human life and property in the event of a fire, possibly more than at Bangabazar.
He informed that around 70 percent of fire incidents in the city are caused by electric short-circuits, and thus, they have sent letters to market committees requesting the removal of electric heaters and cooking burners to reduce the risk.
After receiving the survey report, the FSCD will provide recommendations to the market committees and send a copy to the district administration for further action.
Ahmed Kabir Dulal, the General Secretary of Tamakumandi Lane Bank Samity, acknowledged the dire situation and stated that the lack of monitoring by concerned authorities and indifference by market owners are the primary reasons for it.
He also observed that negligence over an extended period has made the situation more complex, and it will not be easy to get rid of the crisis.
There are over 100 markets and 15,000 shops under their association, and Dulal said more markets are being developeddefying the building codes to increase the risks further.
