The Urgent Need for High-Rise Building Safety Reform in Bangladesh
The recent tragic fire on Bailey Road in Dhaka, which claimed 46 lives, has shed light on the critical gaps in high-rise building safety regulations and enforcement in Bangladesh. This devastating incident has brought to the forefront the pressing need for unified safety regulations and stringent oversight to prevent similar disasters in the future.
The recent tragic fire on Bailey Road in Dhaka, which claimed 46 lives, has shed light on the critical gaps in high-rise building safety regulations and enforcement in Bangladesh. This devastating incident has brought to the forefront the pressing need for unified safety regulations and stringent oversight to prevent similar disasters in the future.
Regulatory Confusion and Neglect
One of the key issues highlighted by the Bailey Road fire is the confusion and neglect surrounding high-rise building regulations in Bangladesh. The conflicting legal definitions of high-rise buildings, with discrepancies between the Building Construction Rules-2008, Bangladesh National Building Code, and the fire prevention act, have allowed building owners to exploit loopholes and bypass essential fire safety measures.
While the Building Construction Rules-2008 and Bangladesh National Building Code define high-rise buildings as those with over 10 storeys or taller than 33 metres, the fire prevention act classifies buildings with more than six storeys as high-rise. This disparity has led to many building owners neglecting to implement critical safety measures, such as adequate stairways and fire safety equipment, in residential buildings between seven to 10 storeys.
The recent fire on Bailey Road tragically exemplifies the consequences of this regulatory ambiguity, as the affected building, not recognized as a high-rise by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), had insufficient fire safety measures in place, including just one stairway.
The Human Cost of Inaction
The loss of 46 lives in the Bailey Road fire serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of regulatory inaction and oversight failure. Adil Mohammad Khan, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, emphasizes that uniform rules and regular monitoring could have potentially saved many lives in this tragic incident.
The lack of accountability and enforcement of safety regulations by government bodies responsible for building safety, such as the fire service, has also come under scrutiny in the aftermath of the fire. Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director (operations) at the fire service, estimates that a staggering 90 percent of residential high-rise owners neglect to implement the fire service's safety plan, a trend that is prevalent among commercial buildings as well.
Steps Towards Safety and Accountability
In response to the Bailey Road fire tragedy, there have been increasing calls for clearer regulations and more decisive action from Rajuk, the national building authority in Bangladesh. Iqbal Habib, vice-president of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon, advocates for Rajuk to establish specific definitions and requirements for high-rise buildings, particularly those used for commercial purposes.
The incident has sparked discussions on the need for stricter enforcement of fire safety regulations and a more cohesive approach to high-rise building classification. Ashraful Islam, chief town planner of Rajuk, acknowledges the importance of collaboration with the fire service to address these critical issues and ensure the safety of high-rise buildings in Bangladesh.
Moving Forward
The Bailey Road fire tragedy serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of regulatory failure and the urgent need for comprehensive reform in high-rise building safety regulations in Bangladesh. It is imperative that stakeholders, including government bodies, urban planners, and building owners, work together to establish and enforce clear, uniform safety standards for high-rise buildings to prevent future tragedies like this from occurring again.
Hi, Ali Rahman in the house! From Chittagong, Bangladesh, I've been on a wild ride from Banskhali Bangabandhu High School to Govt. Alaol College and beyond, landing me at National University. Now, I'm here to dish out the lowdown on national issues and global news. Stick around for a fresh take on what's shaking up our world! Connect With Me