Authorities blamed for negligence in building safety
Staff Reporter :
Experts have pointed fingers at seven government agencies for fatalities and incidents linked to building fires.
They have squarely blamed individuals in positions of authority and building owners, holding them accountable for what they term “negligent homicides” under the law.
These assertions came to light during a press conference titled “Unsafe Buildings in the City: Actions to be Taken,” held on Tuesday at the National Press Club in the capital.
The event was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Environmental Movement (BAPA), the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), and the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).
Iqbal Habib, Vice President of BAPA and an architect, presented the keynote address during the conference.
In the conference Iqbal stated that urbanisation in Bangladesh is intertwined with its economic development, however, despite ambitious development projects like the Strategic Development Goal (SDG)-11, which focuses on sustainable, safe, and resilient cities and settlements, the goal of achieving a truly safe and resilient city remains elusive.
It was also stated in the conference that over the last nine years, the country has witnessed a staggering 190,167 fire incidents, resulting in 51 deaths and injuries to 3,606 individuals.
The primary cause of such fire tragedies, especially in the capital Dhaka, is attributed to unauthorised and illegal buildings, unauthorised usage of land, and a lack of scrutiny by relevant authorities.
During the press conference, it was also revealed that establishing a restaurant requires obtaining ten certifications from various agencies.
However, due to a lack of proper examination, inspection, and enforcement of regulations, coupled with the absence of legal oversight, the current precarious situation has persisted.
The organisations responsible for addressing these issues include development authorities, city corporations, fire services, civil defence, service providers (such as WASA, Titas, DPDC/DESCO), law enforcement agencies, and ultimately building owners.
Each incident of a fire reveals negligence, mismanagement, and unpreparedness on the part of the authorities, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive reform and effective enforcement of regulations to ensure public safety.
The lack of mutual accountability between government agencies, which seek exoneration through mutual blame, is evident in at least nine major fire incidents and explosions in Dhaka over the past five years.
The conference ended by stating that despite some legal proceedings in one or two cases, there has been no visible progress towards justice.
