Nayamati, a key commercial hub in Narayanganj city, is marked by its narrow lanes, making it difficult for four-wheeled vehicles to navigate. Despite this, the area sees the annual trade of hosiery products worth hundreds of crores. However, these businesses, collectively valued in the thousands of crores, face significant fire hazards. A ground visit revealed that the entire area is ensnared in a tangle of electrical wires. In some spots, the clutter is so thick that the sky is barely visible from the streets. Locals report frequent fires caused by short circuits in these wires, which are typically extinguished using water from buildings on either side. However, in this bustling commercial zone, where every building is packed with fabric, chemicals, and thread, fire service vehicles are unable to reach the scene. "If a major fire were to occur in this area, no one knows how to handle it," said a hosiery businessman. On October 7 at 11pm, a severe fire erupted in Narayanganj's Kali Bazar area caused by an electrical short circuit, resulting in the destruction of 40 shops. Since that incident, fear and anxiety have taken hold of hosiery traders and workers in Nayamati. Read: Workplace Fire Safety: 12 Effective Ways to Prevent Fire Hazards The Bangladesh Hosiery Association reports that there are approximately 8,000 hosiery businesses in Narayanganj, with the majority situated in Nayamati and its vicinity. Data from the Fire Service highlights that Nayamati is at a high risk for fire incidents, despite its crucial role in meeting Bangladesh's domestic clothing needs. Hosiery businessman Abdus Selim stated, "Every market and building here involves transactions worth crores of taka, but there is no safety for our lives. If you monitor closely, you won't find any fire extinguishing equipment or water reserves. Since fire service vehicles cannot access this area in the event of a fire, businesses should take that into consideration." However, no one seems to be concerned about it, Abdus Selim added. He alleged that the City Corporation, Fire Service, and other government agencies are also responsible for this situation. Abeda Parveen, a worker at Rahman Hosiery, stated, "The road we enter frequently catches fire due to the wires. We have to extinguish the flames using water and sand from the buildings. What more can I say about our workplace? If a fire breaks out on the ground floor, there’s no way for us to escape." Read more: Panel formed to prove vessel fire at Ctg port She noted the stark difference between garment factories and hosiery units, explaining, "Garment factories have two staircases and fire extinguishing equipment, while the hosiery units in Nayamati lack these essentials. Are our owners not making enough money? But, they seem to evade scrutiny." She called on the government to address this issue, warning that without intervention, they could face deadly fires. Meanwhile, some local business owners recognized that although the area is highly susceptible to fire hazards, the Fire Service pays little attention here. They pointed out that there have been no substantial efforts from this government agency to establish a safe commercial environment in Nayamati.  When reached for a comment, Fakhruddin Ahmed, Deputy Director of the Narayanganj Fire Service, stated, "Please call me during office hours; I am currently unwell." Read more: Top Strategies to Enhance Fire Resilience in Dhaka City

Bangladesh isn’t new to fire accidents. In the last several years, the country has seen some devastating fire accidents that claimed the lives of hundreds and destroyed millions in property. The recent fire in Dhaka’s busy Bailey Road which claimed the lives of 46 individuals only resonates with the helplessness and despondency left behind by the tragedy. Every fire incident brings forth the question of fire safety audit or lack thereof. Because a tangible and thorough audit could’ve saved the 46 precious human lives and the many more we’ve lost thus far.  What is a Fire Safety Audit?  A fire safety audit is the systematic process of examining the compliance and preparedness of a building in the wake of a fire accident. The primary purpose of such audits is to identify potential hazards, evaluate the effectiveness of existing safety measures, and ensure that the building is equipped to handle emergencies, particularly fires.  These audits are typically conducted by qualified professionals, such as fire safety engineers or specialists, and may involve collaboration with local fire departments or regulatory authorities. In the case of Bangladesh, the primary regulatory body includes RAJUK (for Dhaka city), city corporations, and the Fire Service and Civil Defense department. Read more: Fire Safety Tips for Parents to Keep Children Safe A fire safety audit considers the following points of action:  - Existing fire protection system - Construction and design of the building - Emergency evacuation channels - Electrical and mechanical compliance - Documentation - Compliance with building codes - Risk assessment - Overall security measures  Why Fire Safety Audit is Essential for Commercial Buildings Safety of the Occupants  The first and foremost reason for a fire and life safety audit is the safety of the occupants. A comprehensive audit helps to understand whether there is any structural flaw that might potentially be life-threatening for the occupants. It also helps to assess the preparedness of the occupants in case of an emergency and even educate them about the same.  Read more: Fire Safety in Apartments: Causes and Prevention Compliance with the Building Code  Fire safety audits can help to assess whether the building has been constructed in line with the proper building code. Compliance with the building code goes beyond the scope of just a legal requirement. It ensures that the building and its occupants have safety measures in place should there be any hazardous accidents.  One of the common building codes concerning fire safety is the construction of a fire exit and a second staircase. According to the city corporation, any building over five stories should have a second staircase. RAJUK puts the limit up to the tenth floor. The Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting Act of Bangladesh regulates that any building over six stories should have an emergency fire exit. 

Newly elected mayors of three city corporations — Abul Khair Abdullah of Barishal, Talukder Abdul Khaleque of Khulna and Jayeda Khatun of Gazipur — took oath this morning. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina administered the oath at a ceremony held in Shapla Hall of her office. Later, 157 newly elected councillors of general wards and female councillors of the reserved seats of the three city corporations also took oath at the same venue. AL-backed mayoral candidate Abul Khair Abdullah wins Barishal City Corporation election Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam administered the councillors’ oaths. Local Government Division Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim conducted the oath-taking ceremony. State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Swapan Bhattacharjee was present on the occasion. AL-backed mayor candidate Talukder Abdul Khaleque wins Khulna City polls On June 12, Awami League mayoral candidate Abul Khair Abdullah (Khokon Serniabat) won the Barishal City Corporation election with 87,807 votes. His nearest rival Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Mufti Syed Mohammad Faizul Karim bagged 33,828 votes. Awami League mayoral candidate Talukder Abdul Khaleque won the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) election with 1,54,825 votes. His nearest rival Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Md Abdul Awal got 60,064 votes in the polls held on June 12. AL not embarrassed by results of Gazipur city election: Agri Minister Razzaque On May 25, independent candidate Jayeda Khatun won the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) polls with 238,934 votes, defeating her nearest rival Awami League-nominated candidate Azmat Ullah Khan who bagged 222,737 votes.  

Nineteen BNP leaders including former Chhatra Dal leader Quamrul Ahsan Rupon, have been expelled for life for contesting the upcoming Barishal City Corporation election defying the party's decision to boycott all polls under the incumbent government. The matter was confirmed through a letter signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday (June 4, 2023). According to the letter sent to Quamrul Ahsan Rupon, on June 2, BNP served a show cause notice to Quamrul for participating in the Barishal City Corporation Election slated for June 12 ignoring party’s decision. Read more: Japan wants to understand what’s happening in Bangladesh and where it’s headed, BNP says as ambassador meets Fakhrul But as his response was not satisfactory, the central committee of BNP stamped him as ‘Mir Zafar’ and decided to expel him from the party for life. Besides, BNP also served show-cause notices to 18 BNP other leaders for the same reason. They were expelled from the party for life as their response was not satisfactory. Earlier, the metropolitan unit BNP recommended expelling the 19 BNP leaders. Read more: It’s undoubtedly a smart budget for plundering public money: BNP   Seven candidates will fight for the mayoral post in the upcoming Barishal City Corporation election on June 12.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal has said the Election Commission wants to hold a fair election in Barishal with coordinated effort. If someone breaks the rules during Barishal City Corporation elections, the candidates have to try to resist it. There will be a presiding officer to whom their polling agents will complain, said the CEC. “If the presiding officer neglects his duty, we will take strict action against him. You (candidates) also have to perform your duties well,” he said while addressing a meeting with Barishal City Corporation election candidates. The meeting was organized by the Returning Officer of the election at Barishal Shilpakala Academy hall on Saturday (May 27, 2023) evening. Also read: Barisal city polls: 7 mayoral candidates get symbols In the meeting, the CEC listened to various complaints of the candidates and took on board possible solutions and various suggestions. “Everyone should be awake on Election Day. I am not saying that the election will be held well just because of our efforts. You should try to do the same. It won't be a single attempt by law enforcement. There has to be a concerted effort,” he said. “Gazipur city election is an example of how the presiding officers will perform their duties properly. The presiding officers performed their duties fairly well. If we get complaints that voters could not go to the centre, could not vote, there were manstans in the centre, they resisted them, then our election will be questioned,” added the CEC. “The polling agents, you (candidates) will have to resist equally inside. If you show power and say I have to vote, then democracy has been destroyed. If elected, there will be no support from the people. So there will be a call that you will try to develop democracy in a healthy way,” the CEC said. Also read: Barishal City Polls: 10 Mayoral candidates submit nomination papers He also announced that all the polling stations in Barishal will have CCTV cameras, like Gazipur. Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Md Ahsan Habib Khan and Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat Md Jahangir Alam were present as special guests at the event.

Awami League-backed mayoral candidate Azmat Ullah Khan on Thursday (May 25, 2023) cast his ballot in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) Election saying he will accept whatever the result is. “I always respect the people’s opinion and whoever gets elected today, I will accept the results,” he said while talking to reporters after casting his vote at Tongi Darus Salam Madrasha Centre around 9 am. People are going to the polling stations spontaneously and after seeing long queues of voters it can be presumed that a participatory election is being held in Gazipur. Also read: Peaceful voting underway; Law and order situation good: Zayeda “I am a political worker and my party Bangladesh Awami League is a democratic political party and you (people) have seen that when I went out for campaigning, I was always with the people as a political activist,” he said. Voting in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election began on Thursday using electronic voting machines (EVMs) in all polling stations in a peaceful manner. The voting began around 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any break. END/UNB/Corr/MAS/F Read more: 13,000 law enforcers to be on polls duty: GMP Commissioner

Early voting has been peaceful  and the law and order situation is also good, said Zayeda Khatun, an independent mayoral candidate in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) elections. She made the remark while talking to reporters after casting her vote at Kanaia Government Primary School polling station around 10 am. There has been no complaint so far against the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), she said adding “I am hopeful about my victory in the  election.’ Also read: Voting underway in Gazipur City Corporation election She also urged the voters to cast their votes at the respective polling stations. Meanwhile, Gazipur City Corporation's (GCC) former mayor Jahangir Alam also cast his vote at the same polling station with his mother. Voting in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election began on Thursday using electronic voting machines (EVMs) in all polling stations in a peaceful manner. The voting began around 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any break. Read more: Voting underway in Gazipur City Corporation election

Every day, hundreds of kilograms of electronic waste or e-waste are collected in Khulna city but the city corporation does not have the capacity to manage this waste. As a result, health risks are increasing. Abandoned TVs, refrigerators, computers, laptops, cameras, air conditioners, microwaves, CFL lights, washing machines, mobile phones, DVD players, electronic toys, among others, are the main sources of e-waste, city officials said. When these items are discarded, they turn into “e-waste”. Even if the materials are destroyed, they do not decompose; they cause damage to the environment. According to Khulna City Corporation (KCC), about 1,000 tons of waste is produced in the city every day. Of this, KCC waste management department workers collect 800 tons and dump those at Rajbandh and Shalua dumping grounds. The remaining 200 tons of waste make their way into drains or canals. Read More: E-waste management should be safe and environmentally friendly: Nasrul Hamid KCC Chief Waste Management Officer Engr Md Abdul Aziz said the city produces close to one ton of e-waste every day. Like household waste, these too go into the dumping grounds. A large number of electrical equipment, including TV and computer parts, coming from the drain gather at the Rupsha Switch Gate area. Those are also collected and dumped at Rajbandh. Md Kabir has been involved in the scrap material business for about 15 years. He said earlier there were more TVs, electricity meters, batteries, water motors. In the last seven-eight years, the sale of different types of mobile phones and small motors has increased. “The products are removed, cleaned, and put up for sale. No one ever talked about using protective gear,” he said. Dulal buys products from houses in different areas of the city and sells them in Sheikhpara. He said many buy broken items and repair them. The rest is sold as scrap. Read More: E-Waste Crisis: Effects of Electronic Waste on Environment and Human Health “I burn wire and take out the copper, and throw out the rest. I’ve developed rashes in my hands while doing this work,” he said. Professor Dr Abdullah Harun Chowdhury, head of the Department of Environmental Sciences of Khulna University, said e-waste contains various types of toxic compounds including lead, cadmium, mercury. These are harmful to the environment and animals. In addition, mercury enters the environment and human body through various processes. It can damage the brain, reduce hearing and immunity. Lead from e-waste causes serious damage to the nervous system of newborns, he added. KCC Chief Waste Management Officer Md Abdul Aziz said a master plan on waste management at the city corporation is underway. Read More: Soaring e-waste affecting health of millions of children: WHO Besides, a modern waste treatment plant has been constructed in Shalua. All types of waste will be segregated and distributed there. Once the project is completed, e-waste will come under the purview of the project, he said.

Approval will be needed from the concerned city corporation along with Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) in order to erect any kind of establishment in Dhaka,  Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Md Tajul Islam made the announcement on Sunday while attending a meeting at the secretariat on evaluations of measures taken by the city corporations to resolve waterlogging issue in Dhaka and Chattogram ahead of monsoon. The minister asked the city mayors to stay alert about anyone facing harassment while taking approval from the city corporations. The minister said concerned ministry, department, office, organisations, private organisations or individuals will need to seek approval for constructions and arrangements will need to be made to monitor them after giving approval. Md Tajul Islam said, “There are many bridges in Dhaka city and adjoining areas but they have no navigation facilities for vessels. Decision has been taken to construct new bridges by breaking the old ones keeping navigation facilities.” Also read: Buildings having rainwater harvesting system to get tax waiver: DNCC Mayor Mentioning occupation of canals and water bodies as one of the main causes of waterlogging the minister said in this monsoon there will be no waterlogging as Dhaka North and South City Corporations are working to ensure no such public suffering occurs. He said both the city corporations have already started eviction drives to remove these illegal occupations and the north city corporation is working to make the city beautiful along with creating water retention ponds. Also read: Recovered city canals will end waterlogging and add beauty: LGRD Minister Minister Tajul Islam decided to form a sub committee led by additional secretary of LGRD Ministry for solving waterlogging, to recover the canals and repair them at Chattogram City Corporation.

Comilla City Corporation Mayor Monirul Haque Sakku BNP has been relieved from BNP’s national executive committee. BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhuk Kabir Rizvi said he was a member of the party’s national executive committee and he was relieved from it on Monday night. Rizvi, however, did not elaborate the reasons behind the party’s decision. A party senior leader said the action was taken against the BNP-backed Cumilla city mayor in October last, but it was out of the discussion as the party did not disclose it to the media. He said BNP leaders and activists were critical of Sakku as he sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s blessings touching her feet after taking oath as the Cumilla city mayor for the second time in May, 2017. READ: Sacrifices of martyrs to go in vain without democracy: BNP  He later became inactive in BNP’s politics and reportedly developed good relations with the local ruling party leaders, the BNP leader said. Besides, he said, their party acting chairman Tarique Rahman exchanged views with the BNP national executive committee members under the Cumilla division on September 22 last. “Though Sakku was invited to join the meeting, he skipped it.” Later, the BNP central office sent a letter to Sakku seeking explanation over his absence in that meeting. “As his reply was not satisfactory, the party high-command decided to relieve him from its national executive committee,” the BNP leader said. READ: It’s inevitable consequence of HR violations, BNP about US sanctions He said local BNP leaders also lodged various complaints with the central leaders against Sakku as he was not participating in BNP’s programmes and ignoring the party’s leaders and activists.