There was no fire exit in blaze-hit Bailey Road building: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said that there was no fire exit in the multi-storey building that caught fire on Bailey Road leaving dozens of people dead.

“The fire that broke out in Bailey Road, that is a multi-storey building, but there was no fire exit,” she said while addressing a programme marking 'National Insurance Day-2024' at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital on Friday.

She urged all to follow the rules and regulations while constructing any building.

“We always request our architects, at least when they design houses or buildings, keep a small open balcony, a fire exit or a ventilation. But architects who want to build (buildings) will not design that properly and also the owners do not want to leave an inch of space,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that 45 people died in the Bailey Road fire incident.

“What could be more painful than this,” she said.

However, the prime minister said that the government has repeatedly instructed to install fire extinguishers and take fire safety measures in all buildings, but that is hardly followed.

“And I know there was no insurance, so they (victims in the Bailey Road fire incident) won't get anything (as compensation). Awareness is very much needed in these cases,” she said.