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of existing environmental policies and laws.

He called for stronger coordination among government agencies and greater public participation to protect Dhaka.

Md Saleh Uddin said the fire service continues to face serious challenges because many buildings violate approved designs. He alleged that buildings approved for five storeys are often constructed with 10, while regulatory authorities fail to take effective action.

Presenting the keynote paper, Prof Dr Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder observed that Bangladesh’s rapid urbanisation and industrialisation have not been matched by improvements in chemical safety management, urban planning, risk assessment and regulatory enforcement.

He called for strengthening chemical safety and urban disaster management.

Former CPB general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince urged authorities to implement stronger disaster risk reduction policies, halt the unplanned expansion of Dhaka, and bring the capital under a city government system to ensure environmentally sustainable and people-friendly urban development.

Architect Iqbal Habib questioned RAJUK’s claim that 94 percent of Dhaka’s buildings are unauthorised, and asked why the agency had failed to monitor construction and take effective action against illegal buildings.

Strong political commitment is essential for building a safer and more livable city, he added.

Major (retd) Shakil Newaz, former director (operations) of the fire service, stressed better coordination among government agencies in issuing certificates for chemical businesses.