Beza, fire service to set up fire stations at economic zones

Photo: Courtesy

Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza) has collaborated with the Fire Service and Civil Defence Directorate for establishing fire stations and conducting rescue operations at all of its economic zones (EZs) across the country.

To this end, the both state-run entities have signed a Memorandum of Understanding at Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters in the capital city on Thursday, said a press release of Beza. 

Under the MoU, to ensure safety of industrial establishments and property in the economic zones from untoward incidents, the Directorate of Fire Service and Civil Defence will provide overall assistance to Beza in all related activities, including the establishment, management and maintenance of fire service and civil defence stations.

This MoU aims to reduce the risk of fire accidents in the economic zones through the use of advanced firefighting equipment and rescue vehicles, to deal with any type of fire accident, to ensure a safe working environment and to conduct rescue operations in case of fire or any other accident through skilled and trained manpower.

This agreement will play an important role in tackling any disaster, including accelerating sustainable industrialisation and urbanisation in line with the 8th Five Year Plan and Sustainable Development Goals and Indicators.

Shaikh Mohammad Jobayed Hossain, manager (MIS & Research) of Beza, and Lieutenant Colonel Md Rezaul Karim, director of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Directorate, signed the deal.

In the master plan of economic zones under Beza, lands have been earmarked for fire service and civil defence stations to ensure fire and other accidental safety of important buildings, structures and industrial and commercial establishments to be built there.

For setting up two state-of-art fire stations inside the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council has already approved the Development Project Proposal (DPP). An estimated cost of the project is around Tk122 crore.

After implementation of the project, the two fire stations along with all equipment will be handed over to the Directorate of Fire Services and Civil Defence to run it by trained fire services personnel. The fire stations will play an important role in providing investment protection to the investors.  

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar is emerging as the first planned and multi-dimensional industrial city of the country, which is located in Mirsarai and Sitakunda upazilas of Chattogram and Sonagazi of Feni.

Beza has already approved investment proposals of around $20 billion in the industrial city and around 100 industries will be built here, employing around 10 lakh people.