The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), city corporations, and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have initiated operations against buildings flouting fire safety regulations in response to the incident where 46 people lost their lives in the Green Cozy Cottage blaze on Bailey Road, Dhaka.
However, concerns have arisen regarding the efficacy of this sudden, unplanned campaign and why more hazardous buildings have not been targeted.
Will dishonest officials and employees from various government agencies involved in these buildings be spared, and how long will this campaign persist?
Different government agencies have been conducting raids in different areas since Sunday night.
The DMP took the lead, conducting raids on at least 50 restaurants across areas like Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Gulshan, and Bashundhara, resulting in the arrest of over 40 individuals since Sunday afternoon.
Some were cautioned and later released on bond. Police officials emphasized the inspection of fire prevention measures during these operations.
Meanwhile, Rajuk initiated its operations on Monday, raiding the Dhanmondi Satmasjid area and shuttering 12 restaurants within the Gausia Twin Peak building.
Another building, Keary Crescent, located in the Satmasjid Road area, was sealed by Dhaka South City Corporation, with three individuals apprehended. However, the building's eatery units were shut preemptively by the owner authority upon learning of the impending city corporation operation.
Imran Hasan, general secretary of the Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association, raised questions regarding the approval process for these establishments.
He said: "We have been given a license by the city corporation. We are paying our dues like VAT and tax. The building was constructed with the approval of Rajuk, who did not say anything until now. We are just renting. We are responsible for the safety and security of the restaurant. But the safety and security of the building is the responsibility of the owner. Why is action being taken without giving us any notice?”
There are 1,000 members of the Restaurant Owners Association in Dhaka and 60,000 all over Bangladesh.
The business leader said: “We have asked many times for restaurants and hotels to be approved after the authorities talk to us. But instead of doing so, they gave approval along with various benefits.”
The latest fire service inspections reveal that 2,603 buildings in Dhaka are deemed at high risk, with 1,106 being the largest among them. Specifically, 801 educational institutions, 345 hospitals, and 325 residential buildings are identified as high-risk areas, underscoring the pressing need for immediate fire safety measures citywide.
Rajuk does not have an exact count of the total number of buildings in Dhaka. However, according to a survey conducted under Rajuk's DAP plan in 2016, the estimated total number of buildings was 2,147,174.
Ashraful Islam, an urban planner and director of Rajuk's Detailed Area Planning (DAP) Project, assured that the ongoing operations would continue depending on support from the police.
While restaurants in Dhaka are under scrutiny, Ashraful Islam said there are more dangerous buildings other than eateries. “We will also raid those buildings. We will look at the security arrangements.”
However, when asked how many such buildings are in the list, he said: "We have a list. But we will not publish it now. It is confidential information.”
DAP's survey report says that 88% of the buildings in Dhaka are illegal. The remaining 12% violated the rules in some way. Only 5,500 buildings have occupancy certificates in the Rajuk area.
Shahjahan Shikder, public relations officer of the fire service, said the service plans to conduct operations in Dhanmondi.
He said: "We will first raid hotels and restaurants, then hospitals and clinics. A list of all establishments will be raided in stages.”
Kh Mahid Uddin, additional commissioner of DMP, said: "The OCs of each police station have been active. We are sending letters and warnings to the risky hotels and restaurants in every area. And then conducting raids."
In response to a question, the police officer said: "We are not only after hotel restaurants, we are also conducting an operation against the presence of any dangerous object that can cause loss of life.
“We are doing what we can under the purview of the law. There are many other irregularities. There are seven other institutions to look into these matters. I hope the situation will improve if everyone fulfills her/his duties."
Urban planner Prof Adil Mohammad Khan criticized the fragmented nature of the current campaigns.
He said: “There is a list of defective buildings. Based on that, the six or seven agencies of the government who are in charge of it need a coordinated campaign. Otherwise, this operation will not be of much use."
Pointing out that there are many more buildings other than restaurants, he raised questions regarding the lack of a coordinated campaign.
He said: “During raids, the restaurant employees are being arrested. It is unfair because they have come to work. The owner of that building, the owner of the restaurant are not being arrested. The owner of the building on Bailey Road has not been arrested yet.”
Mentioning that the issue is very complicated, Adil Mohammad Khan said: “We need to focus on that. Who approved these buildings and hotels? Employees of Rajuk, fire service, city corporation are involved here. Why are they not being arrested? When will there be a campaign against them? Who will conduct it?”
