Dhaka: The Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) has intensified a nationwide blaze control campaign as the dry winter season creates extra scopes for ignition of deadly infernos, officials said today. ‘We are carrying out various awareness programmes for fire safety and operating mobile courts against violation of fire laws and rules across the country,’ fire service spokesman M Shahjahan Sikder told BSS.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Sikder, who is FSCD’s senior staff officer tasked to run its media wing, said the firefighters throughout the country were staging fire drills in different public and private establishments, imparting training to government employees and ordinary people and distributing leaflets. He noted that the FSCD campaign was also focused on schools and higher educational institutions, multi-storied residential and commercial buildings, shopping malls and market places, factories, and slums.
Sikder emphasized the importance of prevention over cure, explaining that crowded places or establishments are typically chosen for training sessions to minimize fire incidents and inferno damage through precautionary measures by people themselves. Inspectors from the fire service regularly inspect various establishments, including factories, and serve notices to comply with fire safety rules where safety measures are found inadequate.
The FSCD encourages people to keep necessary fire extinguishers at their households or business establishments and to take prompt actions to douse flames and call firefighters immediately after a fire breakout. In collaboration with RAJUK in the capital and district and upazila administrations across the country, FSCD has been operating mobile courts to enforce fire laws and ensure compliance.
‘So far, a total of 37 mobile courts have been operated across the country in January alone this year,’ Sikder said, adding that an amount of Taka 41.65 lakh was realized during the magisterial drives against inadequate fire safety in various establishments. Most of the mobile courts operated in the Dhaka division, engaging magistrates of RAJUK, district, and upazila administrations since the FSCD does not have any magistrate of their own.
Sikder also highlighted that commercial and industrial establishments and complexes are a major focus of the campaign as fire accidents increase, especially during winter. According to fire experts, winter is a perfect time for massive fires to ignite, demanding extra safety measures, although it is important to practice fire safety year-round to prevent wildfires.