Fire Rules 2014 Bangladesh Pdf

[Ortiz Ullery]

Inthe wake of two recent fire explosions in Narayanganj and Mogbazar, a surge of deadly fires has plagued the country with daily reports of fire explosions. From the Gulistan building explosion to the blasts at Science Lab and at Sitakundu, the country has witnessed a spate of deadly fires that have caused fear and anxiety among the people. With each new fire-related fatality, the public has grown increasingly alarmed and concerned about compliance with fire safety regulations. Considering this, this piece aims to illuminate the present legislative framework for fire safety and the reasons for non-compliance.

The first law worth noting in this context is the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC), 2020. This law has been subject to several amendments due to the past fire-related experiences. Part 4 of the Code covers the requirements for fire prevention. It specifies the general conditions of fire protection (Chapter 1), precautionary requirements (Chapter 2), provisions for exit (Chapter 3), and requirements necessary to minimise danger to life from fire, smoke, fumes, and so forth. Some of the vital fire safety provisions of the Code include:

(b) Fire detection and alarm systems: The Code requires that buildings be equipped with fire detection and alarm systems that can detect smoke, heat, and fire and alert occupants in case of a fire (Part IV, Chapter 5);

(c) Means of escape: The Code requires buildings to have multiple means of escape, such as staircases, corridors, and exits, to enable occupants to evacuate quickly in case of a fire (Part IV, Chapter 3);

(d) Firefighting equipment: The Code mandates that buildings must be equipped with firefighting equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire hoses, and sprinkler systems to help control and extinguish fires (Part IV, Chapter 4);

(e) Smoke management systems: The Code requires buildings to have smoke management systems such as smoke vents, exhaust fans, and pressurisation systems to control the spread of smoke in case of a fire (Part IV, Chapter 3); and

(f) Fire drills and training: The Code mandates that building owners and occupants must conduct regular fire drills and training sessions to ensure that everyone is prepared to evacuate safely in case of a fire (Part 4, Chapter 1, Appendix B).

Then come the Fire Prevention and Extinguishing Act, 2003 and the Fire Prevention and Extinction Rules, 2014. Section 7 of the Act requires the approval of the Directorate General of Fire Service and Civil Defence for any structural design or layout of a multi-storied commercial building. Rule 22 of the 2014 Rules supplements the Act by requiring an occupancy certificate to ensure building compliance with safety requirements.

So, the question arises as to why there are still so many explosions despite the presence of such comprehensive laws. First, there is a lack of accountability due to the absence of an implementing authority. As per paragraph 12 of chapter 2 of part II of the Code, an authority has to be established who will work towards implementing the revised National Building Code, 2020. In the same chapter, it also mentions that there will be an office of building officials who will operate at the local levels. Unfortunately, such authorities are yet to have been formed even after two years of adopting the Code. Secondly, experts have opined that certain National Building Code modifications have rendered the Code more vulnerable. In this context, high-rise buildings with more than 10 floors are exempt from specific safety standards, including firefighting pump houses.

Furthermore, owners' non-compliance of the rules becomes one of the most significant obstacles to enforcing these regulations. The preliminary finding of the February Gulshan fire incident revealed that the 13-storied building was built without a proper fire safety plan, according to the standards laid out in the Act. Also, deliberate neglect on the owner's part regarding fire extinguishers, emergency exits, and other safety measures is rampant and causes the death of many people. Finally, the BNBC recommends fire drills quarterly, once, or twice a year, depending on the building type, to quickly escape a structure in the event of a fire. However, such a drill never happens, not even once.

Last year, the fire service officials in Dhaka evaluated 1,162 buildings and labelled 136 of them, as "extremely risky" and 499 as "risky" (The Dhaka Tribune, 9 March 2023), which is a cause for major concern. To prevent a spate of fatal fires, it is crucial to establish an effective authority for monitoring systems and collaboration at the local level, as it would not be feasible to control the fire concerns otherwise. Hence, a holistic method must be taken. Lastly, the public in general need to be made aware of the issue and taught the basics of firefighting regularly.

The agreement was designed by Bangladeshi and international unions together with other labour groups, making it unique in being supported by all key labour rights stakeholders, and signed by over 50 international brands and retailers, who agree upon a 5 year commitment to invest in safer factories.

The Accord is transparent as well as practical, the programme includes independent inspections by trained fire safety experts, public reporting, mandatory repairs and renovations financed by brands, a central role for workers and unions in both oversight and implementation, supplier contracts with sufficient financing and adequate pricing, and a binding contract to make these commitments enforceable.

Local unions: unions belonging to IndustriALL Bangladesh, including the National Garments Workers Federation (NGWF), Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union Federation (BIGUF), plus the Bangladesh Independent Garments Workers Federation (BIGWF) and Bangladesh Revolutionary Garment Workers Federation (BRGWF);

Yes. We urge all brands and retailers sourcing from Bangladesh to commit to safe factories and sign the Accord. Read the document here and sign up sending your request to both Jyrki Raina, General Secretary of IndustriALL: JRa...@industriALL-Union.org and the contact email at the Bangladesh Accord Foundation: bra...@bangladeshaccord.com

Bangladesh has a long history of health and safety tragedies, such as garment factory fires and collapses, killing at least 1800 workers since 2005. The Accord is a programme which is specially developed for the specific situation in Bangladesh, based on many cases picked up by the organisations setting up the Accord.

However the parties recognize that workers in other countries are not working in safe conditions either. Therefore we believe that the principles and implementations of the Accord should serve as examples to develop safety programmes in other garment producing countries as well.

No. Companies should not abandon ship and move their production to other countries, where working conditions are just as bad (or worse) as in Bangladesh. Instead of leaving the Bangladeshi workers out in the cold, after receiving huge profits for years from the worker's hard labour, brands and retailers should take their responsibility for safe working conditions and commit to the Accord of Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh.

The companies have signed up to develop a programme together with unions. Six representatives of Global Unions and six representatives of companies are putting together the design for an Implementation Plan by 8 July 2013. After that day inspections and trainings of management and workers will start. But the obligations that are outlined in the programme are already valid. This means that if unsafe conditions are identified in a factory, companies have to undertake the actions that are set in the accord.

The brands are responsible for improving safety conditions in their production units. How these improvements are financed is the responsibility of the brand: it either negotiates with its supplier, loans money or pays for the improvements itself for instance. Section 22 of the Accord reads: 'In order to induce factories to comply with upgrade and remediation requirements of the program, participating brands and retailers will negotiate commercial terms with their suppliers which ensure that it is financially feasible for the factories to maintain safe workplaces and comply with upgrade and remediation requirements instituted by the Safety Inspector. Each signatory company may, at its option, use alternative means to ensure factories have the financial capacity to comply with remediation requirements, including but not limited to joint investments, providing loans, accessing donor or government support, through offering business incentives or through paying for renovations directly.'

At present over a 1000 suppliers are covered by the agreement. The involved parties have the ambition to cover all suppliers in Bangladesh, and design the plans for implementation and governance in a way that this huge effort is realistic.

Yes. The current inspection reports conducted by companies and/or audit firms will be used and by and become part of the portfolio of the newly recruited Safety Inspector. But the safety inspections are only conducted once. This means that all brands sourcing from the same factory don't conduct the same inspection over and over again. The Safety Inspector determines whether the engineering firm or other inspection entity meets the quality required.

A unique aspect of the Accord of Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is its legal enforcement. Section 5 of the Accord explicitly outlines the process of dispute resolution, in which the outcomes can be reinforced in the court of law. This feature is unique because previously established initiatives involving corporate accountability and labour rights are basically voluntary commitments. Many US companies refuse to sign the Accord based on this legal enforceability, fearing lawsuits. However, in essence the Accord's legal obligations do not differ much from other business contracts companies routinely close. The fact that over 50 prominent internationally operating companies from Europe and the United States did sign the Accord confirms this position.

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