Shopping malls in Bangladesh are under a lot of pressure throughout the year, especially during Eid, Puja, Pohela Boishakh, New Year and other festivals. In the midst of so much joy, have we ever thought that joy can turn into tears in an instant? Most of the shopping malls in our country are running without much caring about safety and security. There are so many irregularities but we avoid them. The words “pain in all limbs, where to give medicine”? Lots of irregularities are in our shopping centers; most of the shopping centers’ environment is very bad; there are not enough fire extinguishers; noise pollution is happening all the time; elevator accidents has become a routine incident; many shopping centers do not have adequate parking facilities. We have to take steps to solve all these issues now.
With regular interval we see fire incidents in shopping centers of Dhaka on TV like fire accidents on March 13, 2009 and 21st August, 2016 at Bashundhara shopping mall, on 20th August, 2017 at Anam Rangs Plaza, on 27th October, 2018 at Tropical Razia Tower, on September 11, 2020 at Gulshan Shopping Centre and many more feared us. In most cases electric short circuit is the cause of fire in the shopping center. In the case of construction of multi-storied buildings in the capital Dhaka, it is mentioned that adequate measures should be taken to extinguish the fire in accordance with the building code. But most building owners do not follow this rule. Even while building a big shopping malls and restaurants in Dhaka they are not obeying the building code.
And in case of fire, as always, the city dwellers rely only on the fire brigade, so the loss of life and property is not going to be reduced. In shopping malls or markets, various types of loud music and bargaining are going on incessantly. Not only that, there is the sound of sewing machine and generator. Shopkeepers are using loud music to attract shoppers to their shops. In addition, shoppers shout loudly in the food shops of the shopping center. Noise pollution in Bangladesh has now reached such a level that it has been termed as ‘noise terrorism’. This is a major health risk in Bangladesh. According to the Noise Pollution Rules, 2006, the noise level in commercial areas should be 60-70 dB. In fact, due to noise pollution, millions of people in Bangladesh are suffering from a number of deadly diseases, from deafness to cardiac arrest.
Lifts are an important tool to take advantage of every floor of a huge shopping center. The demand for using elevators in shopping centers is increasing day by day. Proper management is required when using elevators. And in the case of this management, a little negligence of responsibility can bring misery throughout life. Accidents due to elevator mismanagement can be heard in various shopping centers of the capital.
The parking system of shopping malls is very fragile. Large shopping malls have sprung up without enough space for car parking. As a result, many people have to park their cars on the street in front of the market. Illegal parking is causing traffic jams. Traffic congestion on Satmasjid Road, Dhanmondi area of the capital is a daily occurrence on working days but this figure is no exception on off days. Less wide roads have long traffic jams. Again most of the shopping mall generators are kept in the parking area. This raises the temperature in closed places like parking lots and vibrations are felt which is detrimental to the driver’s health.
The Department of Environmental Sciences, Stamford University conducted a research in 2016 at 12 shopping centers in Dhanmondi in the capital. Research topics include firefighting systems, noise and vibration generated from generators, medical facilities, toilet systems, security systems, childcare rooms, CCTV. The study found that 11 shopping centers have fire extinguishers, but none of them have regular drills. In this case, 4 malls have emergency exits and 9 shopping malls havingheavily noisy generators. 6 shopping centers have their own security guard; the other 6 shopping centers have Ansar and private security guard. There is CCTV monitoring in 6 shopping centers, no medical system is available in any shopping center. Besides, there is a smoking zone in only one market but there is no childcare room in any of the shopping malls. In most case toilets are not properly maintained and, fast aid facilities are not ensured.
The authors are involved in teaching in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Stamford University Bangladesh and a legal practitioner respectively, Email: [email protected]
