The recent horrific fire that broke out in a residential building at Sector 11 of Uttara, Dhaka has once again brought to the fore the deep insecurity of our urban life. The fire, which started in the kitchen, claimed the lives of six people, including a woman and a child, in a short period of time. These deaths were not a sudden accident rather, they were the tragic result of long-standing neglect, poor supervision, and unplanned urban management.
None of the victims in this fire had any burn marks on their bodies. They died from the lack of oxygen in the toxic smoke. This proves that the toxic smoke, not the heat of the fire, was the biggest killer. However, although modern residential buildings are supposed to have smoke detectors, fire alarms, and emergency evacuation systems, their absence in reality made this tragedy even more horrific.
The most heartbreaking thing is the complete destruction of a family. The happy moment that working parents wanted to spend with their young children on a weekend vacation turned into death in an instant. The loss of life of a father, mother, and child due to suffocation in smoke is a deeply painful incident not only for a family, but also for the entire society.
If the development of the city cannot ensure the safety of people, then what is the value of that development? In this incident, the rescue operation was hampered by the locked roof access. In many buildings in the capital, tenants are not allowed to go up to the roof. However, in an emergency like a fire, the roof can be the last refuge. The tragic delay caused by locked roof access is an example of serious mismanagement, for which people had to pay with their lives.
Unplanned buildings, narrow staircases, lack of adequate fire exits and absence of firefighting equipment are the features of most residential buildings in the capital. In this situation, mere expressions of grief are not enough; strict action is needed. Mandatory fire safety inspections must be installed in all residential buildings. Building owners must be forced to ensure fire exits, access to the roof and firefighting equipment. At the same time, regular technical supervision of gas and electricity connections is essential.
MD. Noor Hamza Peash
Legal Researcher, LL.B. Student
Department Of Law
World University of Bangladesh
