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. 

A total of 690 audit objections amounting to a total potentially worth Tk 1. 06 lakh crore was placed in parliament on Tuesday. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal placed 53 audit and accounting reports of different ministries and government departments' 2019-20 accounts, in accordance with Article 132 of the Constitution. “The reports of the Auditor General relating to the public accounts of the Republic shall be submitted to the President, who shall cause them to be laid before Parliament,” states the Constitution.  Read more: Atomic Energy Commission (amendment) Bill passed in JS  The report tabled in the Parliament showed that in the financial year 2019-20, there were 30 objections to the compliance audit on plot-flat allotment-expenditure, other matters related to under-implementation and some development projects under the National Housing Authority. Another audit report was on Telecom Regulatory Commission's Compliance Audit Report for fiscal 2019-20. The amount of money involved in some 12 disputes in this regard is around Tk 14,392 crores.  

The income of ruling Awami League in 2020 was about Tk 10.33 crore, 51 percent down from that of 2019, according to its audited financial statement submitted to the Election Commission on Sunday. However, the AL’s expenditures increased by Tk 1.73 crore in 2020, compared to that of the previous year. The AL’s total income was Tk 10,33,43,33 in 2020, which was over Tk 21 crore in 2019. An AL team, led by its publicity and publication secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, MP, handed over the financial statement of the 2020 calendar year to EC Secretary Md Humayun Kabir Khandaker at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. Later, Abdus Sobhan Golap told reporters that their party’s income largely came from the subscriptions of its members, sale of nomination forms and donations from various individuals and organisations. READ: By-elections: 94 aspirants collect nomination papers from the Awami League   In 2020, the income declined as it earned less from the sale of nomination forms, and there was no income from the triennial council of the party in 2019, he said. AL spent Tk 9,94,49,931 (Tk 9.94 crore) in the calendar year, Tk 1,73,48,356 more than it spent in 2019. The expenditures went up for conducting relief activities amid the Covid-19 pandemic, providing donations to party-nominated candidates in different elections and the rise in the expenses against different publications. AL office secretary and Prime Minister’s special assistant Barrister Biplab Barua and deputy office secretary Sayem Khan were other members of the AL team. On Thursday, BNP submitted its 2020 financial statement before the Election Commission. The income of BNP was Tk 1.23 crore and expenditure was Tk 1.75 crore in 2020. The additional expenditure was met from its previous fund. READ: Awami League’s Parvez Mia wins Kishoreganj municipal polls  As per the law, each registered political party is obliged to submit the financial statement of the previous calendar year by July 31, but the Election Commission extended the deadline by one month.