2024-03-03 22:42:18
Chief Whip Mujibul Haque Chunnu of the opposition party in the National Parliament said that the investigation committee is formed after each incident of fire. But, there is no follow up.
Mujibul Haque Chunnu said these things while standing on the point of order in the National Parliament session on Saturday (March 2). He demanded strict action against those responsible for the fire in the multi-storied building on Bailey Road in the capital.
The opposition chief whip said 46 people had died so far in the Bailey Road fire. 22 people were injured. There was no restaurant permit in the building where the fire broke out. However, there were eight restaurants in the building. Officials of the Capital Development Authority (RAJUK) and Detailed Area Plan (DAP) said commercial approval had been given for the first to seventh floors of the building. However, it is only for use as an office room. There was no approval for restaurants, showrooms or anything else.
Quoting the Director General of Fire Service, he said, the building did not have any type of fire safety system and there was no safety staircase. A tower caught fire in Banani, killing people. The designer of the building, he said, was designed for commercial offices. When the hotel was built there, the architect repeatedly wrote to the developer and the land owner—the way the building was designed, there was no room for a restaurant. But, no one listened to him.
Mujibul Haque Chunnu raised the question, the people of the country pay taxes to run the government. The responsibility of the government is to provide security to the citizens of the country. Construction of buildings requires clearance from six agencies of the government. No supervision of building after clearance. There are officers in each area of Rajuk, where are those officers? Building for one purpose, goes to another purpose. Who will answer for the people who died? It is the responsibility of the government, government agencies, government offices. Each incident happens and the government says that it will be investigated. Investigation team was done, then no follow up. The country cannot run like this. The government needs to be held accountable. Government action needs to be taken with accountability.
He also said that there are 15 restaurants in one building on Sat Masjid Road in Dhanmondi. However, there is no permission for restaurants here. Dhanmondi Sat Masjid Road has hundreds of shops on every side of the road. Restaurant in building in building, not one has permission. More such incidents will happen if the government is not aware of this. We demand from the government that whoever is responsible for this incident, be it Rajuk, fire brigade, should take strict action against them.