Most fire extinguishers in Dhaka University dormitories are either expired or missing, raising safety concerns for students, an inspection revealed.
Only three of the university’s 17 dormitories were found to have adequate fire safety measures.
Fire extinguishers had expired at eight dormitories, including Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall (August 7, 2023), Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall (September 17, 2024), Shamsunnahar Hall (October 12, 2024), Zahurul Haque Hall (October 10, 2024), Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall and Jagannath Hall’s Santosh Vobon (May 6, 2024), Ruqayyah Hall (October 10, 2024), and Bijoy Ekattor Hall (March 19, 2024).
Four dormitories—Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall, Kabi Jasimuddin Hall, Masterda Surjasen Hall, and Sir F Rahman Hall—had no fire extinguishers at all. Two halls—Kuwait Moitree Hall and Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall, as well as Jagannath Hall’s Robindro Vobon—had extinguishers with no visible expiry dates.
Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall and Amar Ekushey Hall had refilled extinguishers, while water fire extinguishers were observed at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall.
According to Niaz Ahmed, assistant director (Warehouse and Fire Prevention) of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Directorate, extinguishers past their refilling date are “unusable.” The DU engineering department said the delay in refilling may be due to pending tender approvals from the university administration or dormitories not requesting refills themselves.
The latest “Statistics on Fire Incidents and Accidents – 2024” from the Fire Service and Civil Defence reported 78 fire incidents in educational institutions last year, causing losses of about Tk46.9 lakh, though no fatalities were recorded. The report also identified 104 institutions at risk of fire hazards, with two at high risk.
Following recent major fires—including a chemical warehouse blaze in Dhaka;s Mirpur on October 14 that killed at least 16 people, a factory fire in Chattogram’s Export Processing Zone on October 16, and a cargo complex fire at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on October 18—the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) issued a circular on October 19. It instructed all educational institutions nationwide to ensure electrical equipment is switched off before leaving the premises.
