Fire Service flags nearly 4,000 buildings for fire risks

The Fire Service and Civil Defence, as part of its efforts to strengthen fire safety, inspected 10,533 buildings and other establishments across the country in 2025, identifying 3,938 as either risky or highly risky for fire incidents.

Of the inspected establishments, 6,595 were assessed as satisfactory, while 3,316 were classified as risky and 622 as highly risky, according to Fire Service data.

The inspections primarily focused on fire-safety arrangements, including emergency exits, the number and usability of staircases, firefighting equipment, water reservoirs, sprinkler systems, fire doors, trained personnel and dedicated fire-safety officers.

The issue of building safety has gained additional importance following several recent small and moderate earthquakes in the country.

In densely populated cities such as Dhaka, experts say fire safety needs to be considered alongside structural resilience, emergency evacuation and the capacity to conduct rescue operations quickly after a disaster.

An earthquake can also trigger secondary hazards, including fires, gas leaks, electrical accidents and blocked escape routes, making effective fire-safety systems an important component of overall disaster preparedness.

Fire Service officials said their inspections are confined mainly to fire-safety matters. As the agency does not have an engineering wing, it does not provide opinions or make decisions regarding the structural integrity of buildings.

Buildings are classified as satisfactory, risky, or highly risky based on a specific checklist developed with reference to the provisions of the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC).

Inspectors examine whether a building has the required number of staircases, whether those staircases are usable and unobstructed, and whether they extend to the rooftop where required.

Blocked stairways or the storage of goods along escape routes are considered serious safety deficiencies.

The availability and usability of firefighting equipment are also assessed.

In multistoried buildings, the absence or inadequate maintenance of fire hoses, pumps and other equipment can increase the level of risk. Inspectors also check whether trained personnel are available to operate the systems during emergencies.

Required approvals and licences are another important consideration.

Operating a business without the necessary approvals, fire licences or trade licences can result in a building being classified as highly risky.

Buildings found to have more floors than those approved by RAJUK may also be placed in the highly risky category, with the fire-safety arrangements of the additional floors subject to scrutiny.

Other inspection criteria include lightning protection systems, rooftop overhead tanks, water reservoirs and, for large establishments, underground reservoirs.

Fire pump houses are expected to have fire pumps, alternative diesel pumps and jockey pumps. The absence of a pump house in industrial facilities is also treated as a safety risk.

Inspectors further check sprinkler systems in multi-storey buildings, fire doors in industrial establishments and whether escape routes remain free from obstruction.

Among the 652 government buildings inspected in 2025, 442 were satisfactory, 185 risky and 25 highly risky. Of the 473 residential buildings, 261 were satisfactory, 190 risky and 22 highly risky.

The garment sector accounted for 1,533 inspections, with 853 satisfactory, 592 risky and 88 highly risky. Among 720 other factories, 434 were satisfactory, 251 risky and 35 highly risky.

Of the 1,053 hospitals and clinics inspected, 545 were satisfactory, 432 risky and 76 highly risky. Among 480 diagnostic centres, 328 were satisfactory, 133 risky and 19 highly risky.

Restaurants accounted for 1,071 inspections, of which 554 were satisfactory, 372 risky and 145 highly risky. Of the 1,171 shopping malls and markets, 723 were satisfactory, 345 risky and 103 highly risky.

Among 784 educational institutions, 535 were satisfactory, 223 risky and 25 highly risky.

Chemical warehouses presented a particularly serious concern. Of the 91 inspected, only 11 were satisfactory, while 42 were risky and 38 highly risky.

Of the 101 filling stations inspected, 69 were satisfactory, 25 risky and seven highly risky. Among 2,404 establishments in other categories, 1,840 were satisfactory, 526 risky and 39 highly risky.

Professor Dr Md Zillur Rahman, a teacher at Dhaka University's Department of Disaster Science and Climate Resilience, said many buildings are constructed without fully complying with approved designs and regulations, while some are altered after construction.

He said fire hydrants, extinguishers, fire-detection sensors, fire doors and emergency exits are essential, but many buildings lack such facilities. Equipment that is installed also needs regular testing and maintenance, he added.

"Fire safety must be monitored regularly," he said, noting that attention to the issue often intensifies after major fires but declines afterwards.

Director General of the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence Brigadier General Muhammad Jahed Kamal said risky buildings could suffer greater damage and loss of life if a fire breaks out.

"Buildings must be made safe both structurally and from the fire-safety perspective," he said, stressing compliance with the BNBC and the adoption and implementation of proper fire-safety plans.

He urged all stakeholders to remain vigilant so that loss of life and property from fires can be reduced.