RAJUK
‘Harassment in the name of crackdown’: Restaurant owners allege disarray in fire incident response
Following the devastating fire incident at the Green Cozy Cottage building on Bailey Road that killed 46 people and injured several others, authorities in Dhaka have launched a crackdown on restaurants lacking proper fire safety measures. Restaurant owners, however, are critical of the approach.
The Restaurant Owners Association has labelled these operations as “harassment” and “for show”, lacking in coordination.
The operations, according to the association, seem to target the restaurant industry unfairly, calling for a more integrated approach to address safety violations.
Professor Dr. Adil Muhammad Khan, President of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, criticized the sporadic nature of these operations, arguing for regular and coordinated efforts. He highlighted the injustice in arresting restaurant workers for building faults, suggesting that the responsibility lies with RAJUK (the development authority) officials and building owners before considering the tenants such as restaurant operators.
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Imran Hasan, General Secretary of the Restaurant Owners Association, expressed the sector's frustrations over the lack of support from any ministry despite repeated pleas. He called for a meeting with the Prime Minister, signaling their readiness to shut down operations if found culpable.
However, he questioned the logic behind blanket closures, arguing for a constructive resolution. Around 200 restaurants in Dhaka have been closed, he said, raising concerns about the crackdown.
Currently, Bangladesh houses approximately 481,000 restaurants, providing employment for 30 lakh people, the general secretary of Restaurant Owners Association said.
He also underlined the struggles with bureaucratic red tape and the desperation for constructive dialogue and solutions. Hasan called for the Prime Minister's intervention, reflecting the dire situation of entrepreneurs and workers within the industry, whose livelihoods are at stake.
Fire safety: How safe are the restaurants in Dhaka’s upscale areas?
The opposition's Chief Whip, Mujibul Haque Chunnu, has also alleged lack of coordination in the drives against risky and unauthorized buildings operating amid fire risk.
“A magistrate went and destroyed a shop. Another goes and says stop. The authorities need to take a concerted, slow and steady approach in conducting fire safety drives,” he said while participating in an unscheduled discussion in the Parliament last Tuesday.
RAJUK's Chairman, Anisur Rahman Mia, meanwhile has announced plans to list at-risk buildings, intending to mark them clearly and disconnect utilities in coordination with service providers, emphasizing the need for collaboration among various agencies for effective regulation.
This situation sheds light on the complexities of urban safety, regulatory enforcement, and the livelihoods dependent on sectors like dining, calling for balanced, fair, and coordinated efforts to ensure public safety without unjustly jeopardizing businesses and jobs.
Read more: Why Fire Safety Audit is Essential for Commercial Buildings
Fire safety: How safe are the restaurants in Dhaka’s upscale areas?
In the heart of Dhaka’s upscale neighbourhoods – Dhanmondi, Gulshan, and Banani – a burgeoning restaurant scene thrives within the confines of multi-storey buildings. This rapid expansion, however, brings to light grave concerns over fire safety practices, or the lack thereof. Many of these dining establishments lack comprehensive fire safety measures, relying solely on elevators and a solitary staircase for emergency exits. This inadequate infrastructure places patrons and employees in a precarious position, with their safety hanging in the balance.
Conversations with residents of these areas shed light on these alarming realities, further underscored by the recent tragedy on Bailey Road, which has sown seeds of fear and apprehension among diners. The indiscriminate sprouting of restaurants, many of which have been operating without fire safety licenses for years, exacerbates the risk. These establishments, often housed in structures originally intended for residential use, now serve commercial purposes, thereby complicating the fire safety landscape.
This issue is not confined to a few isolated cases; nearly every alley in these areas is lined with cafes and restaurants, with some buildings entirely dedicated to these businesses. The architectural design, characterised by an extensive use of glass, restricts the inflow of air, and in the event of a fire, leaves breaking the glass as the only means to combat the flames.
The structural layout presents further challenges for emergency evacuation. Narrow staircases, cluttered or locked, significantly hinder the ability of patrons to evacuate safely in case of an emergency, turning what should be a straightforward escape route into a potential trap.
Read more: Why Fire Safety Audit is Essential for Commercial Buildings
The fear of fire is not an abstract concern for the residents of Gulshan and Banani. Moniruzzaman, a businessman from Gulshan, and Didarul Haq Sunny, another businessman from Banani, voiced their apprehensions about dining out in the post-Bailey Road fire era.
“There’s a prevailing fear of taking families to restaurants in the Gulshan-Banani area, as it’s unclear which establishments have fire safety measures,” Moniruzzaman said. Didarul mentioned ceasing restaurant visits after the Bailey Road tragedy, citing fire safety as a major concern.
Their concerns highlight a critical demand for Dhaka’s development authority, RAJUK, to enforce and oversee rigorous fire safety standards across all restaurants.
Professor Dr. Adil Muhammad Khan, President of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), echoed these sentiments. He pointed to the widespread practice of converting entire buildings into dining spaces, enveloped in glass, which fundamentally compromises fire safety protocols. The aftermath of the Bailey Road tragedy has left a palpable sense of urgency among citizens and experts alike, calling for immediate action from RAJUK and other relevant authorities to mitigate the risk of future incidents.
Read more: Petition filed seeking closure of restaurants in residential buildings
Dr. Adil advocated for detailed inspections of fire safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers and alarms, and insisted on comprehensive safety audits for all multi-storey and specially purposed buildings.
Despite existing regulations mandating two staircases in buildings, the reality on the ground reveals a stark misuse of these provisions, with designated fire exits often repurposed as storage areas. This blatant disregard for safety norms necessitates a stringent enforcement of building codes and fire safety regulations.
RAJUK’s Chairman, Anisur Rahman Mia, acknowledged the challenges at hand, committing to a series of actions aimed at identifying and rectifying establishments lacking in fire safety measures. He drew attention to the widespread issue of illegal commercial activities within residential buildings, underscoring RAJUK’s dedication to enforcing legal and safety standards.
With over 517,000 buildings under its jurisdiction in Dhaka, of which only 200,000 are approved, RAJUK faces a daunting task. An astonishing 90% of the approved buildings deviated from their original designs, complicating the enforcement of fire safety and building codes, the public agency says.
Read more: A city of fire traps: Decades of tragedies in Dhaka expose systemic failures
Petition filed seeking closure of restaurants in residential buildings
A writ petition was filed with the High Court seeking its directives to close all restaurants in residential buildings in Dhaka including on Bailey Road.
Supreme Court lawyer Eunus Ali Akond filed the writ petition with the High Court bench concerned on Sunday (March 03, 2024).
Besides, the petition also sought directives to provide compensation to the family members of the deceased and injured in the Bailey Road fire and arrest of those responsible in the fire incident.
Read more: A city of fire traps: Decades of tragedies in Dhaka expose systemic failures
Meanwhile, a Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Israt Zahan Santona filed another writ petition with the High Court bench concerned seeking judicial investigation into the deadly fire at Green Cozy Cottage Building on Bailey Road that claimed the lives of 46 people.
The petitions will move to the HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque.
Secretaries to the Public Works Ministry, Cabinet Division, Home Ministry, Inspector General of Police, Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), nayors of Dhaka North and South city corporations were made responsible in the writ petitions.
Read more: Why Fire Safety Audit is Essential for Commercial Buildings
On Thursday night, a massive fire broke out at a building on Dhaka's Bailey Road leaving at least 46 people dead and injuring dozens of people. Later, a case was filed with Ramna police station.
A city of fire traps: Decades of tragedies in Dhaka expose systemic failures
In Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, the history of fire incidents stretches back decades, with each tragedy laying bare the systemic failures of monitoring and enforcement by the authorities.
The recurrence of these incidents, resulting in loss of lives and property, highlights a persistent cycle of negligence and a lack of proper supervision by the concerned agencies, including the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) and the Fire Service and Civil Defence.
This pattern was tragically underscored by the recent blaze at a building housing several restaurants on Bailey Road, which claimed 46 lives, marking yet another dark chapter in Dhaka’s ongoing saga of preventable disasters.
The Bailey Road catastrophe is not an isolated incident but a continuation of Dhaka’s grim legacy of fire tragedies. Experts point to a systemic lack of accountability and supervision, with buildings across the capital flouting fire safety norms and regulations.
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The construction of these structures often violates directives from the Fire Service and Civil Defence, lacking essential fire prevention measures such as alarms, adequate water supplies, and fire extinguishing systems.
The result is a cityscape riddled with potential fire traps, posing a constant threat to its inhabitants.
Professor Dr. Adil Muhammad Khan, President of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), asserted that the frequent fires could be significantly reduced if the authorities took decisive action against those responsible for the lax approval and supervision of building constructions, and against building owners who neglect fire safety standards.
Dr. Khan emphasised that accountability must extend to RAJUK, the building owners, and even the tenants who, fully aware of the risks, continue to occupy these unsafe spaces.
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The recurrence of fire incidents is further compounded by the failure to follow up on investigations after each tragedy. Dhaka has borne witness to several catastrophic fires, including those at Nimtoli, Churihatta, FR Tower, Armanitola, New Market, Moghbazar, and the latest disaster at Bailey Road. These incidents share common threads: mismanagement, the utilisation of risky multi-storied buildings, and a glaring lack of proper supervision, with many buildings operating without the requisite approvals from RAJUK and other regulatory bodies.
Despite repeated pledges from various quarters to transform Dhaka into a risk-free city, these promises have largely gone unfulfilled. Each tragic fire fades from public memory, only to be replaced by the next, in a seemingly endless cycle of devastation. This cycle is exacerbated by the mixed use of residential and commercial buildings, which Dr. Khan identified as a critical risk factor propelling the capital towards further disaster.
An example of this perilous overlap is the Green Cozy Cottage Building on Bailey Road. Despite approvals specifying that only the ground through fourth floors could be used commercially, with the fifth and sixth floors designated for residential purposes, the building predominantly housed restaurants, a clear breach of urban planning and building laws.
Dr. Khan advocated for treating such egregious violations, like the Bailey Road fire, as criminal acts, attributing them to the negligence of RAJUK and other service agencies.
Read more: Why Fire Safety Audit is Essential for Commercial Buildings
The aftermath of the Bailey Road tragedy has seen calls for comprehensive measures, including the online registration of buildings with detailed usage information, and the public display of notices issued by the government against non-compliant building owners.
Ashraful Islam, the project director of the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) of RAJUK, clarified that the Bailey Road building was authorized only for office use, not for restaurants and showrooms, underscoring the illegal operations that contributed to the tragedy.
Why Fire Safety Audit is Essential for Commercial Buildings
Bangladesh isn’t new to fire accidents. In the last several years, the country has seen some devastating fire accidents that claimed the lives of hundreds and destroyed millions in property. The recent fire in Dhaka’s busy Bailey Road which claimed the lives of 46 individuals only resonates with the helplessness and despondency left behind by the tragedy. Every fire incident brings forth the question of fire safety audit or lack thereof. Because a tangible and thorough audit could’ve saved the 46 precious human lives and the many more we’ve lost thus far.
What is a Fire Safety Audit?
A fire safety audit is the systematic process of examining the compliance and preparedness of a building in the wake of a fire accident. The primary purpose of such audits is to identify potential hazards, evaluate the effectiveness of existing safety measures, and ensure that the building is equipped to handle emergencies, particularly fires.
These audits are typically conducted by qualified professionals, such as fire safety engineers or specialists, and may involve collaboration with local fire departments or regulatory authorities. In the case of Bangladesh, the primary regulatory body includes RAJUK (for Dhaka city), city corporations, and the Fire Service and Civil Defense department.
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A fire safety audit considers the following points of action:
- Existing fire protection system - Construction and design of the building - Emergency evacuation channels - Electrical and mechanical compliance - Documentation - Compliance with building codes - Risk assessment - Overall security measures
Why Fire Safety Audit is Essential for Commercial Buildings
Safety of the Occupants
The first and foremost reason for a fire and life safety audit is the safety of the occupants. A comprehensive audit helps to understand whether there is any structural flaw that might potentially be life-threatening for the occupants. It also helps to assess the preparedness of the occupants in case of an emergency and even educate them about the same.
Read more: Fire Safety in Apartments: Causes and Prevention
Compliance with the Building Code
Fire safety audits can help to assess whether the building has been constructed in line with the proper building code. Compliance with the building code goes beyond the scope of just a legal requirement. It ensures that the building and its occupants have safety measures in place should there be any hazardous accidents.
One of the common building codes concerning fire safety is the construction of a fire exit and a second staircase. According to the city corporation, any building over five stories should have a second staircase. RAJUK puts the limit up to the tenth floor. The Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting Act of Bangladesh regulates that any building over six stories should have an emergency fire exit.
SC upholds HC order for demolishing Gulshan Shopping Centre
The Appellate Division on Monday (January 22, 2024) upheld the High Court order that ordered demolition of the Gulshan Shopping Centre in Dhaka's Gulshan-1 within 30 days.
A five-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, passed the order following a petition filed by the owners challenging the HC order.
In July 2023, two companies namely Bani Chitra and Films filed a writ seeking the HC directive to demolish Gulshan Shopping Centre citing safety concerns.
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Following the writ, on Dec 13, the HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Ataullah ordered the demolition of the center within a month.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Rajuk and others were asked to implement this directive.
On July 13, 2023, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) in a mobile court drive sealed off the shopping centre as it was found risky.
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Regional Executive Officer and Executive Magistrate Zulkar Nayan and Executive Magistrate Md Mahbub Hasan conducted the mobile court.
In 2021, the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence declared the market risky and abandoned due to the dilapidated building and lack of fire fighting system and sent a letter to the DNCC to take legal action regarding the issue on an urgent basis.
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Zulkar Nayan, regional executive officer and executive magistrate of Zone-3, said, "The shop owners were instructed repeatedly to vacate the building to prevent any kind of humanitarian disaster as the Gulshan-1 shopping centre is risky, but they did not vacate it."
Installation of underground cables completed in Hatirjheel area
The work to install underground cables has been completed in Hatirjheel area, although subsequent road repairs necessitated by the project are progressing slowly.
According to official sources, both the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) and Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC) completed their work in September and deposited their required money to the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) to repair the roads as per rule.
Sources said that recently a Rajuk-appointed contractor has started the road repair works but it’s going on at a very slow pace.
The DPDC and PGCB have laid the high voltage underground cables through digging the roads in the area to replace their overhead cables at the Hatirjheel lake.
The DPDC first completed its part of the work in June, and then the PGCB’s work was completed in September, said the sources in the PGCB. PGCB officials said after completion of the works, the Rajuk will repair the roads as the area is under its jurisdiction.
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DAP: Keraniganj to get park on 442 acares, bigger than botanical garden, Ramna park
‘Sheikh Hasina Regional Park’, set to be established on 442 acares of land in Keraniganj under Detailed Area Plan (DAP 2022-2035),will be Dhaka’s largest park, surpassing National Botanical Garden and Ramna Park.
Mushtaq Ahmed, the Chief Architect of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), said Rajuk has already appointed an implementation and consulting firm for the park, and a consultant team has been engaged for the construction work.
They are working on the park's design, he said.
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Rajuk's urban planner Mohammad Ashraful Islam, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, and Keraniganj Upazila Chairman Shaheen Ahmed, in collaboration with Rajuk's project team have finalized location of the park.
The construction of this park is expected to commence shortly, he said.
Detailed Area Plan 2016-2035 for Dhaka Metropolitan Region aims to create an eco-friendly and modern city by constructing five large regional parks, 49 water-based parks, eight eco parks (including Bhawal Shal Forest), and nine other parks and playgrounds.
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As part of this initiative, Rajuk has acquired approximately 422 acres of land in Subhadhya, Kullirchak, Baghair, and Kazirgaon mouzas of Keraniganj upazila in Dhaka, designating it as Sheikh Hasina Regional Park. The proposed land use for this park is designated as open space.
Rajuk also intends to construct a new 100-feet road on the western side of Sheikh Hasina Regional Park. The project is currently awaiting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s approval.
At a programme here recently Nasrul Hamid told reporters that National Botanical Garden was established in 1961 on 208 acres or 624 bighas of land near the National Zoo. After that area, Ramna Park is in second place with an area of 68.5 acares. Sheikh Hasina Regional Park in Keraniganj will set a new record in terms of size, surpassing the botanical garden and Ramna Park, he said.
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Several senior officers from Rajuk, along with local MP and Upazila Chairman, recently visited the proposed park location in Keraniganj. The delegation included Rajuk member and project planner Mohammad Nasir Uddin, member (development control) Samsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Bangladesh University of Engineering (Buet) Professor Md. Al Amin, and others.
Breaching Rajuk plan: Most markets under Dhaka city corporations at fire risk
Most markets under Dhaka's two city corporations are at fire risk — major reasons being breaching the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) plan and not maintaining fire service standards.
More fire incidents can occur if Rajuk and other relevant authorities do not respond promptly.
Mouchak and Anarkali markets in Dhaka’s Malibagh, Siddheshwari areas are adjacent to each other. Almost every floor of the Mouchak market has more shops than the original plan accommodates. The shops’ designs have also been altered.
Shops have even been set up in spaces that were marked as passageways within the market. From the bottom of these two markets to the four sides, there is no room in the corner. Furthermore, the entry and exit points are quite small, making these two markets prone to fire incidents.
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Meanwhile, Chandni Chawk market near New Market is also at fire risk. Condition at Chandni Chawk is similar to Mouchak’s. The Rajuk plan and requirements were not implemented at this market either.
It should be mentioned that a fire at New Supermarket — next to New Market and opposite Chandni Chawk — was devastated by a fire on April 15.
In Sayedabad Supermarket, Phulbaria Sundarban market, Nagar Plaza, City Plaza, and other markets and shopping centres, there are many more shops than the original Rajuk-approved plans allow.
Fires are also likely to occur in crowded markets with no fire extinguishing system.
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Similarly, Rajuk Uttara Shopping Complex has significantly more shops than the market is meant to accommodate, according to the development authority's plan. There are illegal structures everywhere, including the basement, as well as the market's entrance.
A fire service team recently visited Gausia Market and found that Rajuk rules were not followed. If a fire occurs as a result of breaching the plans, not enough people will be able to come down the stairs. Electrical wires were also seen unconcealed everywhere in the market. There is no fire alarm system either.
Except for shopping malls like Bashundhara City Shopping Complex and Jamuna Future Park, almost all markets in Dhaka city are at fire risk.
Local influential people, according to the fire department, have set up marketplaces and allotted shops at their discretion.
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These markets, according to city planner Adil Mohammad Khan, were constructed without regard to any standard or regulation. The tin-shed markets are also quite risky.
If not closely monitored, there will be more fire incidents in the future, he warned.
Purbachal Expressway: Next megaproject unveiling up govt's sleeve?
The long-awaited Purbachal Expressway will connect the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway with the capital. According to Rajuk, the capital development authority, the expressway will be ready to be inaugurated in the next 2-3 months.
Billed as one of the most spectacular and attractive expressways in south and eastern Asia, it will connect Dhaka’s Progoti Swaroni and Airport Road to the Eastern Bypass. There will be no traffic signals on the 12.5-km long expressway, which will have upto 14 lanes.
According to Rajuk, a 6.5-km stretch of the 12.5-km expressway, from the capital’s Kuril area to the Balu River, is being constructed with 14 lanes. Of these 14 lanes, eight will be part of the main expressway, while the remaining six lanes will be used as service roads for the movement of local vehicles.
The 6-km stretch of the expressway from the Balu River to Kanchan Bridge will have 12 lanes - six forming the expressway, six as service roads. At present, 95 percent of the project is complete, said sources at Rajuk.
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The cost of construction of the expressway has been estimated at Tk 764 crore. As part of the project, 10 large bridges will be built at an estimated cost of Tk 488 crore.
The construction of the expressway from Kuril Bishwa Road to Kanchan Bridge is in the final stages. Currently the construction of drainage systems along the roads and canals is going on.
In many places, dividers are being installed. The Bangladesh Army's 24 Engineer Construction Brigade is implementing the project.
Meanwhile, Rajuk is currently digging 100-foot-wide canals on both sides of the Kuril-Purbachal Link road with the help of the Army, to preclude waterlogging. Rajuk Chairman Anisur Rahman Miah told UNB recently that most of this work is complete.
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There will also be 13 arched bridges, like the ones in Hatirjheel, costing an estimated Tk 227 crore.
Five at-grade intersections are being constructed so that vehicles in the adjacent areas can use the service lanes to get on the expressway at the same grade or elevation. A subway will be added to the expressway under each intersection, according to Rajuk.
Besides, a four-kilometer drainage line for rain water, two culverts and 12 water bus stands will be constructed in the project area.
In addition, the number of pedestrian-bridges has been increased from the four mentioned in the original project outline of 2015 to 12, the number of pump houses from one to five, and the number of sluice gates from four to ten.
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“The entire project will be completed in a quick time," Anisur Rahman said. "Hopefully, it will be inaugurated within the next three months. Once complete, the road communication between the capital and Purbachal will be modernised. Rajuk and police will work jointly to provide adequate security on the roads.”
Regarding the canal reclamation project, Anisur said: “Once there were three major canals - Dumni, Boalia, and AD-8 -that would drain the rainwater out of the Airport, Nikunja, Baridhara and surrounding areas. However, those canals are completely gone.”
“We’re hoping to reclaim those canals with this project,” he added.
The plan to dig and develop a 100-foot-wide canal on either side of the Kuril-Purbachal link road was approved at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on November 4, 2018. The Rajuk chairman hopes that the canals will help to solve the waterlogging problem in the Kuril, Baridhara, Nikunja and Airport areas during monsoon.
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The Rajuk chairman said that once all the work is complete, the area would also present 'the nearest tourist spot' to Dhaka.
The estimated cost of the Purbachal Expressway project was originally Tk 5,287 crore, back in 2015. The addition of three additional canals, roads, bridges, and other elements described above have added an extra Tk 5,043 crore. The overall cost of the project has thus nearly doubled to Tk 10,330 crore.