Fire Hazard Risk in Dhaka University: A case study

Bijoy Kumar Roy

Fire incident occurs due to lack of awareness of mass people, use of highly inflammable material, open flames for cooking, lighting and in low income residential areas maintenance of little or no gaps among structures. Fires cause the utmost loss of life and property in urban areas. Urban fires have overwhelming impact on communities. Unplanned urbanization has intensified the problem further. The number of fire incidents in Dhaka was 1,861 in 2003, 2,053 in 2004, and 2,279 in 2005 and 14921 in 2010 (Fire Service and Civil Defense, 2011). To mitigate such disasters at community level, community participation is important. In our Dhaka University campus we are in danger due to fire hazard. A case study of my Ms Thesis research found that in the central library of this university there are more than thousand students studying at the same time. And all the library doors and windows are blocked by grill. There is only one gate to way out from this library. So, if any incident occurs how can this student save their life? And there are thousands of valuable books, journals, references, previous valuable news paper, thesis paper and very important documents which may lose if any fire hazard occurs. But there is no fire extinguisher at all. In the whole library there are only three or four fire extinguishers and all are not active. And authorities do not know how to use it properly. They do not have any training on fire fighting.

Photograph: This is the only gate of Dhaka University Central library & some students become injured when they try to come out from library at the time of recently occurred Earthquake.

What should authorities do? More fire extinguishers have to be set up to this library. Fire fighting trainings have to be given to the authorities. Yearly campaign, Mohora should be taken. Need more doors and windows to way out from library in the time of danger and grill should not be more. Regularly monitoring the electrical line and wire. And authorities should take concentration on the library because many bright students lives depend on this library.

Fire hazard is an accidental cause but we have to know, how can minimize our loss from fire occurrence. We need save our students life as well as important books, Journal, Thesis papers, Valuable newspaper and necessary documents from fire hazard.

Writer Bijoy Kumar Roy Msc in Geography & Environment University of Dhaka. e-mail- greenbd2010@gmail.com Cell no - 01913636057