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had no NOC or trade licence, reads the probe report.

The report further stated that the committee asked the building and restaurant owners and relevant people for a hearing on March 21 to find out the real cause of the fire, but none of them attended the hearing. As a result, there was no record or reply on their behalf.

Without taking any occupancy certificate, the owner has been using the building commercially since 2013.

The probe body recommended that all the authorities should check the occupancy certificate before issuing any NOC or trade licence to any business house or commercial institute.

Rajuk already issued several letters to these authorities suggesting a check of occupancy certificate.

The probe body thinks that the fire may not have broken out if the building owner had taken the occupancy certificate. Rajuk also recommended not supplying gas, water, and electricity if anyone did not take the occupancy certificate.

The restaurant owners designed the interiors using flammable materials. As a result, the intensity of the fire increased. Proper precautions were not in the use of cylinders.

According to fire safety rules, if regular fire drills took place, awareness would be increased and fire safety protocols would have been followed. Action can be taken against the building owners and restaurant owners under the existing law, the probe report further recommended.

Regarding the Rajuk recommendation, Mizanur Rahman, chief executive officer of DSCC, told The Daily Star, “We issued trade licence by applying our inspection manual.”

“It would be better if an integrated system introduced for issuing NOC or trade licence then these type of complications will not arise,” he added.