Most fire originates from electricity, stoves and cigarettes!



Sultan Mahmud Arif, Staff Correspondent Barta24.com
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PC: Barta24.com

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Dhaka: The incidence of fires is increasing every year. Some are losing everything in the event of death as well as fire. Property worth crores of taka is being lost in fire every year. Last year there was a terrible picture of fire in the country; there were 21,601 fire incidents. It has caused a loss of more than 218 crore. In addition, 219 people were killed and 570 injured.

The data for the year 2021 was published on the website of the Fire Service and Civil Defense last Tuesday (February 8). The information was released by the fire service after analyzing various incidents including the cause of the fire, damage, rescue and casualties.

According to the fire service, out of 20 causes, most of the fires were caused by electrical disturbances, stoves and Bidi- cigarettes. Of these, 7,955 fires were due to electrical disturbances, 3,922 from stove fires and 3,193 from burning cigarette butts.

403 for use of open lights, 479 for hot ash / fuel, 58 for children playing with fire, 170 for friction of instruments, 18 for hostility and disorderly mobs, 18 for lightning and other natural disasters, 8 for lightning and other natural disasters, 16 for burning fireworks, 94 for overheating. 8 fires, 10 from spontaneous ignition, 11 from chimney sparks, 6 from static electricity, 11 from chemical reactions, 105 from explosions (cylinders, boilers, etc.), 69 from gas supply line fires, 279 fires due to vehicle accidents. Besides, 3,261 fires were reported due to various reasons.

A total of 219 people were killed in fires last year, according to figures released by the fire service. Besides, 570 people were injured. The death toll did not rise in the fire service's figures.

In this regard, the officer in charge of the media cell of the Fire Service and Civil Defense when asked Shahjahan Sikder said, "We only keep track of the scene." Outside of that we don’t keep a death survey after being taken to hospital. However, in case of any major accident, our people are given to the hospital, they keep an account and we add that account to the statistics. However, the official said that normally the accounts are not kept except at the scene.

The fire service has named 29 places of fire in their figures. It shows that most fires occur in homes / residential buildings, kitchens and shops. Last year, there were 5,618 fires in houses / residential buildings, 3,544 in kitchens, 1,064 in shops, grocers, tongs etc. Besides, 143 in multi-storey buildings, 458 in shopping malls and markets, 610 in hat-bazaars, 160 in garment industry (export oriented), 95 in garment industry (local), 362 in other factories, 119 in jute warehouses and jute mills, 17 in KPI fires, 1 in educational institutions. There were 52 fires, 95 fires in banks, insurance and other offices, 263 fires in hotels, motels and restaurants, 91 fires in hospitals and 25 fires in basements.

In this way, fires are happening in the country every year due to various unknown reasons and loss of life and property.

A recent report by the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a non-governmental research organization, entitled "Workplace: Fire Accidents and Workers' Safety: Where Are the Elimination Measures?" 283 people were burnt or injured. According to the report, an average of one fire occurs every two days.

CPD research director Khandaker Golam Moazzem told Barta24.com that 53 people were killed in a fire at Sajib Group's Hashem Foods factory in Narayanganj on July 8 last year. Besides, a total of 82 fire accidents have taken place till last December. In all, 127 people were killed and 283 were injured. Most of the casualties are victims of fire accidents. The highest number of accidents occurred in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Chattogram.

Golam Moazzem said shopping malls / markets, educational institutions and the healthcare sector were the three areas most at risk of fire accidents. Inspection of factories should be increased.

He said the government has taken a step to inspect the factory through bidder coordination. They were to visit 5,000 factories between October and December last year. But they have visited only 875 factories till January 10. He commented that this is not satisfactory at all. 

   

Rebel used to deal in drugs under the guise of a musician



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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Enamul Kabir Rebel has been caught dealing drugs under the guise of a musician.

Police arrested this musician from Rampura area of the capital on Friday (April 26) night with crystal meth (ice) worth crores of takas.

Additional Deputy Police Commissioner of DMP Khilgaon Zone Rashedul Islam in a press conference at noon on Saturday (April 27) said that Enamul Kabir is a musician of 'Uchcharan' band. He used to deal in drugs under the guise of musician.

He said, Rebel used to work in the team of drug dealer MD. Ripon alias Leetu alias Bhaijaan. According to the information given by him (Rebel), Badda area. Litu's residence was raided. Although Litu was not found in the raid, various evidences including drugs were seized from his house.

This police officer said that Rebel and his driver Ami used to cooperate in Litu's drug trade. Rebel had been assisting Litu in his drug trade for over five years.

He also said that Rebel met Litu from an event. Later a friendly relationship developed between them.

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Work is going on the advice of Chief Heat Officer: Mayor Atiq



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md. Atiqul Islam said, as per the suggestion of Chief Heat Officer (CHO) Bushra Afrin, work is going on to combat the heat.

She is a single person, he said, advising the chief heat officer. She will not implement the works. She gives advice, but the work is actually done by all of us. It is on his advice that we are doing these things to give relief to the people.

On Saturday (April 27), he said these things while inspecting DNCC's water spray (sprinkling water) program to prevent air pollution and keep the city cool during intense heat in Agargaon.

In response to a question about the appointment and salary allowance of Chief Hit Officer Bushra Afrin, he said, "I see that many people are talking about her for the past few days. She is getting salary from city corporation, actually it is not correct. She does not get a single taka from the city corporation. She doesn't even have any seat in the city corporation. But she has no chair.

Heat officers have been appointed by an organization based in the United States (Adrienne Arshot-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center (Arshot-Rock). They have appointed 7 chief heat officers around the world and all seven are women.

Earlier, at 11:30, the mayor Md. Atiqul Islam said at Syed Mahboob Morshed avenue Agargaon while visiting the special van kept for supply of clean drinking water and drank the water himself. Later, when artificial rain began to fall through the spray cannon, he joined the excited children and teenagers and shared the joy with them.

Later, the mayor talked to the journalists. Atiqul Islam said, two spray cannons that provide artificial rain will sprinkle water on the main road. As they are quite large, they cannot enter the street. Ten browsers will work to sprinkle water on the street. Through these the roads will be wet and kept cool. I have also directed the concerned department to arrange artificial rain like spray cannons in the parks of DNCC. In the next one week artificial rain will be arranged in the parks.

He said, on the advice of Chief Heat Officer (CHO) Bushra Afrin, we have taken the initiative of sprinkling water on roads and providing free drinking water to 54 wards of DNCC to relieve the people in the ongoing intense heat. Three special vans (with 500 liter water tanks) have been brought down in each ward to provide water to the pedestrians. The vans will move around the ward with clean drinking water. These vans are made in small size to fit into the alleys of the city. Pedestrians and working people should be able to drink water.

Calling the city dwellers, the mayor said, I have three appeals to the city dwellers in the current situation. 1, I request the shopkeepers, traders and owners association leaders of DNCC area to arrange a drum for drinking water in front of every shop, shopping mall, market. Everyone can drink water. 2, we planted 80 thousand trees last year. This year I will plant another 1 lakh 20 thousand trees. I request the people of the city to take care of these trees. The city corporation is taking care, besides the city residents will take care of the trees in front of their houses, in front of the shops. 3. This year, we started activities before dengue spread. Aedes mosquito season is starting. Everyone should keep their homes, offices, educational institutions and surroundings clean so that Aedes larvae do not grow.

DNCC Chief Executive Officer Mir Khairul Alam, Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Imrul Kayes Chowdhury, Chief Waste Management Officer Captain Mohammad Fida Hasan, 28 Ward Councilor Md. Forkan Hossain, reserved councilor Hamida Akhter (Mita) and others were present.

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Passenger bus caught fire in Banani



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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A fire broke out in a passenger bus in front of the Banani Navy headquarters in the capital. In this incident, two units of Kurmitola fire station are working to control the fire.

Rashed bin Khalid, the duty officer of the fire service, confirmed this information to Barta24.com on Saturday (April 27).

Rashed Bin Khalid told Barta24.com that there was a fire incident in a passenger bus in front of Banani Navy Headquarters in the capital. The fire incident took place at 4:20 pm. In this incident, two units of Kurmitola fire station are working to control the fire.

He also said that nothing can be said about the origin of the fire or casualties.

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The plan of BNP to come to power by enslaving foreign masters: Quader



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
photo: Barta24

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Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said, BNP's predicament is how to come to power by enslaving foreign masters.

He made this comment in response to questions from reporters after paying tribute to Sher-e- Bangla AK Fazlul Haque's mausoleum at the historical Shaheed Suhrawardy Udyan at 8 am on Saturday (April 27).

Obaidul Quader said, BNP is enslaved to get power, to stay in power. They do not consider public support as a key issue. Slavery to foreign masters leads to power. Their dilemma is still how to go to power by enslaving foreign masters.

Mentioning that he does not consider BNP as a democratic party, he said, there is no precedent for establishing democracy in their history. They have killed democracy, turned it into a farce. They never obeyed the democratic rules even within the party. They talk big, when they do the party council? Where did they party council? 7-8 years ago there was a meeting at the Le Meridien Central Committee. Jambu Jam style Committee of 501 people. Those who do not have democracy at home cannot establish democracy in the country.

Obaidul Quader said, national leader Sher-e- Bangla was one of the people who took politics to common people in this country. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman inspired the common people with the mantra of freedom. The farmers of rural Bengal will never forget Shere-e- Bangla. He will forever be remembered among them. He protected usurer moneylenders from tyranny by setting up State and Debt Arbitration(Rin Shalishi Boeard) Board. He is still remembered for that.

Commenting on today's pledge to fulfill their dreams, he said, today our pledge is to form Bangabandhu, Suhrawardy, Maulana Bhasani, Sher-e- Bangla AK Fazlul Haq non-sectarian Bangladesh. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we are fighting to build a humane and non-communal Bangladesh. That is the dream of Sher-e- Bangla AK Fazlul Haque and that is our pledge today.

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