Shop owners ignoring fire service and police warnings, leaving markets at risk

Each time a fire breaks out, safety and security measures become a hot topic of discussion. However, as time passes, the conversation fades away and becomes overshadowed by new issues. 

Unfortunately, over the last three weeks, 15-16 small and large fires have swept through the city, leaving thousands of shops in Bangabazar and New Super Market reduced to ashes. These recent catastrophic events have brought to light the inadequate safety measures implemented by these markets. 

Shockingly, the fire service has labelled 58 markets in Dhaka as hazardous, and upon inspection, many were found to be operating under perilous conditions. Despite repeated warnings from both the fire service and police, no action has been taken, leaving these markets in a dangerous situation. The authorities' recommendations have fallen on deaf ears, putting the safety of both workers and customers at risk.

Sheikh Muhammad Shamim, the additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Wari crime zone, told The Business Standard that Rajdhani Super Market, which falls under his jurisdiction, is another market prone to fire hazards.

"After the devastating fire incidents at Bangabazar and New Super Market, we are now concerned about the safety of the Rajdhani Market, around 1800 hundred shops are there. Already the market has been termed as a "highly risky" fire-prone market in the capital and still, there is no proper management here, everything is being run without minimum safety measures" he added.

With the DMP high-up's directives, they [police] have already sat with the market authorities and businessmen several times. "We asked them to ensure visible safety measures to avoid any fire incident. But the recommendations are still ignored," Shamim expressed his dissatisfaction. 

"From the very beginning of Ramadan, we asked them to set up enough CCTV cameras surrounding and inside the market that can evade any subversive activities, but they didn't pay any heed. They were asked to keep at least a single fire extinguisher at every shop, but they arranged only 20-15 fire extinguishers for 1800 shops. Isn't it absurd," the additional deputy commissioner asked. 

Mismanagement is everywhere, the market authorities were also asked to check the electric cables and fix if there is any archaic cable which is risky one. Also urged them to install a proper circuit breaker system, but they didn't comply with any of them. 

Other recommendations were also elusive

Visiting the Rajdhani supermarket on Wednesday this correspondent found every mismatch/negligence visible what the police official claimed. 

Cigarette hawkers and makeshift shops were seen inside the market, and people randomly lit up cigarettes inside the market and hardly care about the last part of it--whether it is doused or not. 

Wielding sparks were coming out of some shops' renovation works, but no precautionary measures were seen. And during midnight the market turns into a ghostly place as there is not enough lighting system to ensure security.

A shopkeeper, wishing anonymity told The Business Standard (TBS) that they have been paying a handsome amount every month to look after the security and other things. 

"Then you have to ask the shop owners association regarding the development of recommendations. We're mere shopkeepers, what we are tensed about is our safety, we can't sleep at night. Every time fire haunted me, like my shop is being gutted in the fire," the young shopkeeper narrated. 

Faznun Haque Biplob, Rajdhani and New Rajdhani Supermarket owners association told TBS that they have been called on 17 April by the police and were asked about the development of the recommendations.

"Ramadan is our business time, we're trying our best to maintain safety and security but time is too short before Eid, we will surely comply after Eid," he replied. 

"The fire service urged us to build a water reservoir for fire fighting, we are focusing on it now," he added. 

On April 9 after visiting the market The Fire Service and Civil Defence announced that Rajdhani Super Market in the capital's Gulistan area is also a fire risk-prone market.

A team of Fire Service recommended several guidelines to avoid any fire incidents in the upcoming days.

Fire Service's Dhaka District Zone-1 Deputy Assistant Director Md Bazlur Rashid told the media that most of the markets in Dhaka are at fire risk.

"Among them, markets having flammable substances are riskier. When fire breaks out in such a market, fire will easily spread out rapidly. Fire can engulf the entire area within just 10 minutes. Rajdhani Super Market has some fire extinguishers but no other fire fighting measures," he added.

Earlier on 6 April, another fire fighting team visited one of the crowded markets, Gawsia Supermarket and termed it "very risky". 

The fire service official also said unorganised or unplanned electric cables also increase the fire risk. "But the market authorities have taken some safety measures. They have informed us that a water tank with a capacity of 2 lakh litres is being made."

He said, "Not just Rajdhani Super Market, if the Fire Service inspects thoroughly, most of the markets at Thataribazar, New Market, Chakbazar and other places in Dhaka could be found at risk."

The Fire Service and Civil Defence has identified 58 marketplaces in Dhaka with significant fire hazards, flagging nine of them to be at 'high risk' of such disasters.

These structures were commercial, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, a fire service director, said. Fourteen of these locations were at 'moderate risk' of a fire while the 35 others were simply at risk. 

Among the high-risk marketplaces were Gausia Market, Fulbaria Barishal Plaza Market, Rajdhani Super Market in Tikatuli, Alauddin Market in Lalbagh, Shakil Anwar Tower in Chawkbazar, Shahidullah Market, Sharif Market in Sadarghat, Masha Katara 22 Market and Rose Neel Teesta Market in Siddique Bazar.