Mayor Md. Atiqul Islam informed that fire hydrants will be installed in every slum and market in Dhaka North City Corporation area.
He said, “When the Sat-tala Basti (A slum at Mohakhali) caught fire in 2021, I said that fire hydrants should be installed here. Fire hydrants should be installed in any densely populated area. Earlier we could not install fire hydrants in any of our slums. I started with Sat-tala Basti. It will be installed in other slums gradually. The fire hydrant will have 60 thousand liters of water. This water can provide fire safety for at least 40 minutes. 40 minutes if we can survive, and if the road is empty then no harm will be caused. Sat-tala Basti is a model for fire safety. Fire hydrants will be installed in other slums in phases.”
He conveyed his plan at the inauguration ceremony of the fire hydrant under the integrated community fire-fighting and water supply system at Mohakhali Sat-tala Basti of the capital on Thursday, May 18.
DNCC Mayor said, ‘Fire hydrants will be needed in residential areas, fire drills will be needed. Volunteers are needed who will use the fire hydrant in case of fire. We have trained 17 people at Sat-tala Basti. These seventeen volunteers will use it. They will train others.
Referring to the amenities in the fire hydrant, the mayor said, ‘There will be a fire hydrant, hose pipe and 17 fire drill workers. If there is a fire here, the bell will ring immediately. A fire alarm will warn. Fire exits are shown in this slum. What to do in case of fire and if every house is trained, it is shown which way to exit during emergency. This is a model. If it can be implemented, fire hydrants will be installed in every slum of Dhaka North City Corporation. 60 thousand liters of water has been arranged here. There will be 40 thousand liters of water in reserve and 20 liters of water for household work.
He said, ‘All security measures including fire hydrants will be ensured in the markets under DNCC. Mohakhali grocery market will be built as a model. In light of this, fire hydrants will be installed in all other markets’.
In case of fire, Mayor Atiqul Islam urged people to vacate the road without taking selfies on their mobile phones and said, ‘I will kindly say that there is no need to take selfies when there is a fire. Your job is to clear the road and let the fire service and rescue workers work.’
DNCC Mayor said, ‘Recently, when there was a fire in Gulshan, everyone was taking selfies, the road was closed. Blocking the road and saying let’s see what happens. I don’t see what happens then it’s not time to think. To rescue those trapped in the fire, the surrounding small roads should be cleared. How will the fire service personnel come if the road is not cleared off? How will fire extinguishers arrive? There were 21 people whose lives were in danger. I went myself and cleared the road.’
Mayor Atiqul Islam said that the canal reservoir in the city has been occupied and said, ‘When there is a fire, there is no water. As if a desert like in Karbala. Our canals, water bodies have been encroached upon and built. So there is no water. Reservoir, field should be increased. Trees should be planted. If there is water in the canal, more trees will keep the temperature under control. If there is a field, children will have a chance to play.’
The UNDP’s LIUPC Project Town Manager Md. Maruf Hossain conducted the program while the Chief Executive Officer of DNCC Md. Salim Reza presided over.
The event was attended by Dustha Sasthya Kendra (Distressed Health Center) Executive Director Dr. Dibalok Singh, Water Aid Bangladesh Program and Policy Advocacy Perth Hefaz Shaikh, United Nations Program Bangladesh Acting Resident Representative Van Nguyen, DNCC Ward No. 20 Councilor Md. Nasir, Council of Reserved Constituencies Amena Begum and others.