Print: 28 Oct 2025
Photo Courtesy: AI
A string of deadly fires across Bangladesh has claimed hundreds of lives over the years, yet few of the cases have reached trial and none has resulted in significant punishment, exposing major weaknesses in fire safety enforcement and the justice system.
The issue has resurfaced following last week’s blaze in the capital’s Mirpur area, which killed at least 16 people. Families of the victims and missing persons have demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible.
Case records and official documents show that many of the buildings hit by recent fires were operating commercial activities illegally.
Investigations often point to the involvement of not only building owners but also agencies responsible for oversight and approval, including Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakkha (RAJUK), developers and other authorities.
Officials familiar with the investigations say that influential individuals linked to the incidents have used their power to delay or divert cases.
Witness testimonies are frequently disrupted, and stays from higher courts slow down trial proceedings. In most cases, building owners are arrested soon after a fire but later released on bail.
Senior lawyer Dr Shahdeen Malik said that most fire-related incidents in Bangladesh are treated as criminal cases, which makes conviction difficult.
“In such cases, the prosecution must prove that the accused intended to kill, which is extremely difficult,” he told the Daily Sun.
“In developed countries, fire incidents are rarely treated as criminal cases. Instead, civil lawsuits are filed to compensate victims, which are easier to prove and legally more appropriate.”
He added that imposing substantial financial penalties on negligent owners would encourage compliance with safety regulations from the design stage.
“Imprisoning owners or other parties involved is a misguided measure. The focus should shift to fines, as significant fines would make others comply proactively,” he said.
Dr Malik also noted that the current reliance on criminal prosecution benefits neither the victims nor the justice process.
“Victims often want the accused jailed, but imprisonment does not help them. Fines, on the other hand, can be used for compensation. The system needs reform,” he said.
One of the worst fires occurred on 20 February 2019 in Chawkbazar’s Churihatta area, when a chemical explosion in Haji Wahed Mansion sparked a massive blaze. More than 50 people trapped in traffic died on the spot, and the final death toll reached 71.
Police have yet to identify the owners of the chemical warehouses involved, and the investigation remains incomplete.
Officers said the warehouses were registered under false names and addresses. The building’s main owner was arrested but later granted bail.
Another major fire broke out on 28 March 2019 at FR Tower in Banani, killing 27 people.
The Banani police station filed a case soon after the incident. In December 2022, the Detective Branch submitted a charge sheet, but the court later ordered a fresh investigation by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).
A supplementary charge sheet was filed in January last year naming eight accused, but the main suspects were cleared of charges.
Earlier, on 3 June 2010, an explosion from an electrical transformer in Nimtoli triggered a blaze that spread to a nearby chemical warehouse, killing 124 people and destroying 23 homes, shops and factories. No one was held accountable, and the authorities failed to determine responsibility for the deaths.
Despite government directives to relocate chemical warehouses from Old Dhaka after the Nimtoli disaster, the orders have not been implemented.
In recent years, major fires have also hit Bongobazar, Moghbazar and New Market in Dhaka, but none of the related cases has reached conclusion. Senior government officials have repeatedly promised action, yet trials remain stalled.
Manzill Murshid, a senior advocate of the Supreme Court and president of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), said the failure to prosecute such cases reflects institutional weaknesses.
“We have excellent laws, but the agencies responsible for implementing them lack capacity,” he said, adding, “The organisations authorised to inspect factories or monitor chemical warehouses face manpower shortages, while dishonest officials and law enforcement personnel often help offenders avoid punishment.”
He maintained that government responses to fire incidents are typically short-lived.
“After every tragedy, officials visit the site, console families and offer financial aid. Some steps are taken initially, but the decisions made following such incidents are rarely implemented,” he said.
_____________________________________________
The reporter can be reached at: [email protected]
Edited by M Munir Hossain
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Fires rage, deaths remain unprosecuted
Photo Courtesy: AI
A string of deadly fires across Bangladesh has claimed hundreds of lives over the years, yet few of the cases have reached trial and none has resulted in significant punishment, exposing major weaknesses in fire safety enforcement and the justice system.
The issue has resurfaced following last week’s blaze in the capital’s Mirpur area, which killed at least 16 people. Families of the victims and missing persons have demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible.
Case records and official documents show that many of the buildings hit by recent fires were operating commercial activities illegally.
Investigations often point to the involvement of not only building owners but also agencies responsible for oversight and approval, including Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakkha (RAJUK), developers and other authorities.
Officials familiar with the investigations say that influential individuals linked to the incidents have used their power to delay or divert cases.
Witness testimonies are frequently disrupted, and stays from higher courts slow down trial proceedings. In most cases, building owners are arrested soon after a fire but later released on bail.
Senior lawyer Dr Shahdeen Malik said that most fire-related incidents in Bangladesh are treated as criminal cases, which makes conviction difficult.
“In such cases, the prosecution must prove that the accused intended to kill, which is extremely difficult,” he told the Daily Sun.
“In developed countries, fire incidents are rarely treated as criminal cases. Instead, civil lawsuits are filed to compensate victims, which are easier to prove and legally more appropriate.”
He added that imposing substantial financial penalties on negligent owners would encourage compliance with safety regulations from the design stage.
“Imprisoning owners or other parties involved is a misguided measure. The focus should shift to fines, as significant fines would make others comply proactively,” he said.
Dr Malik also noted that the current reliance on criminal prosecution benefits neither the victims nor the justice process.
“Victims often want the accused jailed, but imprisonment does not help them. Fines, on the other hand, can be used for compensation. The system needs reform,” he said.
One of the worst fires occurred on 20 February 2019 in Chawkbazar’s Churihatta area, when a chemical explosion in Haji Wahed Mansion sparked a massive blaze. More than 50 people trapped in traffic died on the spot, and the final death toll reached 71.
Police have yet to identify the owners of the chemical warehouses involved, and the investigation remains incomplete.
Officers said the warehouses were registered under false names and addresses. The building’s main owner was arrested but later granted bail.
Another major fire broke out on 28 March 2019 at FR Tower in Banani, killing 27 people.
The Banani police station filed a case soon after the incident. In December 2022, the Detective Branch submitted a charge sheet, but the court later ordered a fresh investigation by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).
A supplementary charge sheet was filed in January last year naming eight accused, but the main suspects were cleared of charges.
Earlier, on 3 June 2010, an explosion from an electrical transformer in Nimtoli triggered a blaze that spread to a nearby chemical warehouse, killing 124 people and destroying 23 homes, shops and factories. No one was held accountable, and the authorities failed to determine responsibility for the deaths.
Despite government directives to relocate chemical warehouses from Old Dhaka after the Nimtoli disaster, the orders have not been implemented.
In recent years, major fires have also hit Bongobazar, Moghbazar and New Market in Dhaka, but none of the related cases has reached conclusion. Senior government officials have repeatedly promised action, yet trials remain stalled.
Manzill Murshid, a senior advocate of the Supreme Court and president of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), said the failure to prosecute such cases reflects institutional weaknesses.
“We have excellent laws, but the agencies responsible for implementing them lack capacity,” he said, adding, “The organisations authorised to inspect factories or monitor chemical warehouses face manpower shortages, while dishonest officials and law enforcement personnel often help offenders avoid punishment.”
He maintained that government responses to fire incidents are typically short-lived.
“After every tragedy, officials visit the site, console families and offer financial aid. Some steps are taken initially, but the decisions made following such incidents are rarely implemented,” he said.
_____________________________________________
The reporter can be reached at: [email protected]
Edited by M Munir Hossain