Statement of 48 citizens demanding measures to prevent recurrence of fires

Friday News

Fires are happening one after another in the country. But the victims of the fire are yet to get a proper investigation, trial or redress.

This kind of disorganization, lawlessness, unremedied situation cannot continue.

48 prominent citizens said this in a statement on Sunday (March 3), mourning the deaths in the recent Bailey Road fire and demanding measures to prevent its recurrence.

Citizens said in the statement, 124 people lost their lives in Nimtoli in 2010 and 71 in Chawkbazar in 2019. The Bailey Road fire cannot be thought of in isolation from what happened before. A continuation of the previous fire accident.

48 eminent citizens said that it has been learned from the previous fire accident that the gross negligence of the authorities of the concerned institutions and various state institutions is mainly responsible for this.

In the Bailey Road fire, the building was approved by Rajuk for commercial use only. The fire service authorities have issued three notices citing the building as a fire hazard. After sending the notice, the authorities did not take any action in this regard. Citizens' question, does the duty of the fire service end with just a notice? They have the power to take legal action, why didn't they do it?

The speakers said that it is the need of the hour to inform the public about the measures taken by the authorities to prevent the recurrence of fire accidents. He demanded a fair investigation into all the accidents, including the Bailey Road incident.

Their demand is to review the role of various institutions related to buildings and supervise the implementation of the High Court directives, punish those responsible, formulate and implement fire prevention policies, and provide adequate compensation to the victims.

The speakers are human rights activist and former advisor to the caretaker government Sultana Kamal, Navira Kari coordinator Khushi Kabir, human rights activist Hamida Hossain, former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Mazumder, Jahangirnagar University professor Anu Muhammad, TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman, Supreme Court lawyer ZI Khan Panna, Hindu Buddhist. Christian Unity Parishad General Secretary Rana Dasgupta, Bela Chief Executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Citizens for Good Governance (Sujan) Editor Badiul Alam Majumder, Central Women University Vice Chancellor Parveen Hasan, BNWLA Executive Director Salma Ali, Law and Arbitration Center Executive Director Farooq Faisal, Photographer Shahidul Alam, Executive Director of Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) Shamsul Huda, human rights activist. Noor Khan, Dhaka University Law Professor Asif Nazrul, Mass Communication and Journalism Professor Geeti Ara Nasreen, Anthropology Associate Professor Zobaida Nasreen, Bangladesh Adivasi Forum General Secretary Sanjib Drong, Women's Party Member Shireen Haque, BLAST Honorary Executive Director Sara Hossain, BRAC University Professor Firdous Azim, cultural activist Arup Rahi and others.

A fire broke out at the Green Cozy Cottage building on Bailey Road on Thursday (February 29) night. 46 people lost their lives and 12 people are hospitalized, who are not safe, the authorities said. 70 people were rescued alive from that building.