A total of 24,656 shops and warehouses at 14 major markets of Chattogram city are at risk of fire, the fire service authori-ties have found over the past few weeks in the wake of devastating fire incidents across the country.

Officials of the Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence said following field visits to the important markets of the port city, they have found that almost all but a few are vulnerable to fire.

However, authorities concerned are not paying any attention to the matter, they complained, adding that new buildings are being built next to each other without paying attention to the rules and regulations.

Negligent market authorities

Fire service officials said although the market authorities have been repeatedly warned, they are not taking action accord-ingly. There are godowns on three or four floors of these markets. Some of these also house people.

Talking to The Business Post, Md Abdul Halim, deputy director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence, said, “We are conducting field surveys to identify the fire vulnerability of Chattogram markets. Most of the markets here have been built unplanned. Almost all of them are at risk.

“We have already visited the big markets including Zahur Hawkers Market, Teribazar, Reazuddin Bazar. These markets house about 25,000 shops and godowns, all of which are at fire risk. We have written to the market committees several times making them aware of the risk. Meetings have also been held. But no one is listening.

“Inspection showed that the markets are housed in five to six storied buildings. But these buildings have only one staircase. At the same time, these buildings do not have fire extinguishers. There is no water reservoir. There is no space to accom-modate fire service vehicles. Therefore, letters have also been sent to the mayor of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) for the construction of underground reservoirs in the New Market, Riaz Uddin Bazar, Tamakumondi Lane, Zahur Hawkers Mar-ket and Teribazar area.”

Earlier in 2019 and 2021, two fires broke out at Zahur Hawkers Market respectively, destroying dozens of shops. The mar-ket authorities were instructed to build a water reservoir and take further steps to prevent a repetition of similar disaster in future. But there has been no visible progress in this regard so far.

During the recent inspections, fire service authorities flagged the market’s electric line as risky and ordered market authori-ties to take steps in this regard. But no measures have been taken as of yet.

According to a letter from fire service authorities to the Tamakumondi Lane Banik Samitee of Reazuddin Bazar on 13 April, there are 13,522 shops and godowns in this market, which also has 450 residential rooms.

Seen by The Business Post, the letter from the fire service states that all the shops and godowns of the market are at risk of fire. The building does not have any firefighting equipment, hydrant system, and water reservoir in violation of the Bangla-desh National Building Code (BNBC). In addition, the building authorities did not ask for any fire safety plan from the De-partment of Fire Service and Civil Defence.

The fire service authorities also sent a letter to Teribazar Merchants Association on the same date. The letter flagged all 5,310 shops and warehouses at the Teribazar market, one of the biggest wholesale and retail cloth markets of the port city, as vulnerable to fire.

Besides, Singapore Bangkok Market, Chattogram City Corporation Market, Amin Center in Lalkhan Bazar, Lucky Plaza in Agrabad, and Akhtaruzzaman Center, Jalalabad Market, Book Society Market have also been flagged as risky by the fire service authorities and letters have been sent to authorities concerned.

Fire service authorities have also been issuing notices to the authorities of multi-storied buildings in the port city. Authori-ties of buildings where residential and commercial activities are going on, are being asked to obtain clearance following the required fire safety plan.

Sarwar Kamal, president of Tamakumondi Lane Banik Samitee, told The Business Post that the markets were formed in an unplanned manner.

“We are already issuing letters to close the shops that sell tea and cook food inside the market. Besides, we are asking the people living in the buildings to keep fire extinguishers in the. We are also warning traders through loudspeakers.”