HC wants report on fire safety measures in high-rise buildings

The High Court (HC) today sought report on fire safety measures as per Fire Prevention and Extinguishing Act and National Building Code in high-rise buildings here in the capital.

A High Court division bench comprising Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md. Iqbal Kabir passed the order after holding hearing on a writ filed in this regard and also issued a rule, reports BSS.

The court asked Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), two city corporations in Dhaka and Fire Service and Civil Defence authorities to form committee in this regard in four months and submit the report.

The High Court also ordered the director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence to submit another report on its equipments, vehicles and manpower within a month.

Gulshan Society secretary general Barrister Shukla Sarwat Siraj filed the writ and also moved it before the court. Deputy attorney general Qazi Jinat Haque stood for the state.

The High Court in its rule asked authorities concerned to explain why constructing building without fire safety measures shall not be declared illegal, why order shall not be passed to keep Dhaka city residents safe from fire caused for violating concerned act, why orders shall not be passed to compensate families of people killed in Chawkbazar and Banani blazes, among others.

The court asked home, housing and public works, education, food and disaster management secretaries, Dhaka north and south city corporations’ mayors, directed general of fire service and RAJUK chairman to respond to the rule within two weeks.