Gawsia market to be inspected for fire hazards today
The capital's Gawsia Market will be inspected for fire and other hazards today, according to a directive of the fire service.
"A team of the fire service will start the inspection around 10:30am on Thursday [6 April]", confirmed Deen Moni Sharma, deputy director of the fire service.
On Wednesday, during a visit to the Bangabazar which was ravaged by a fire, fire service Director General Brigadier General Md Main Uddin, termed Gawsia and Rajdhani Super Market as risky and said there are other markets under risk as well.
"We will launch a drive and serve notices to those markets from 6 April. According to the national code, those markets have to have [multiple] exit points and fire extinguishing amenities," he further said.
The move comes following a devastating fire at Baagabazar on Tuesday (4 April) that left at least 3,500 shops gutted, some 5,000 traders have been affected. The incident also left 36 people injured.
A total of 48 fire service units along with members of the armed forces, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) worked together to bring the situation under control.
The fire service had declared the Bangabazar apparel market "highly risky" in terms of fire safety on 1 April 2019.