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Speakers at the event demanded that Rakjdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) make its data on building categories public in order to enable general people to identify risky buildings in the country.

They also demanded that whenever a building is served any notice by a government entity, the owner must hang the notice before the building.

“The Green Cozy Cottage building on Bailey Road got Rajuk’s approval for renting only official spaces, but it instead rented to eight restaurants, a juice bar, coffee shop and electronic shops, breaching the Building Construction Rules and urban planning norms,” BIP president Adil Mohammed Khan said in a written speech.

“The building’s owners violated several laws and rules through its design, construction and management. There were not enough fire security systems in the building. There were neither any windows, nor adequate ventilation, which was the main reason for such high casualties. Also, the lone stairs were occupied by gas cylinders,” he said.

“The fire service authority only served them notices several times but took no other steps,” Adil Mohammad, also a professor at Jahangirnagar University, also said.

“In the previous fire incidents, no government officials were found guilty of negligence. However, all government entities including Rajuk, city corporation, fire service, environment department, district administration, police and explosives department have responsibilities in such incidents for their negligence,” he added.

BIP general secretary Shaikh Muhammad Mehedi Ahsan said the London and Chicago city authorities changed their full fire security measures following fire incidents in 1666 and 1871 respectively, but Bangladesh is yet to take any measure in this regard.

“The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 spread across nine square kilometres and left over 300 casualties. Are we waiting for such a massive incident to happen till we overhaul our systems? Are 46 lives not enough?” he asked.