In a fire at the Green Cozy Cottage building on Bailey Road in Dhaka on February 29, 46 people, including women and children, lost their lives. The harrowing aftermath of the tragedy still haunts the families of the deceased, the survivors and the witnesses. They say that thinking back to the dreadful events of that night still sends shivers down their spines. Many are gripped by sudden alarm, while some cry and lament the deaths with heavy hearts.

Jannatul Tajrin Nikita, 23, a fourth-year student at Brac University, and her mother, Lutfur Nahar Karim, 50, an English teacher at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, both died that night while dining at a restaurant in the building. The loss of his wife and daughter has left Golam Mohiuddin utterly devastated.

"I still cannot believe that my wife and daughter are gone… Every night, I cry for them. I sit by their graves," he told this correspondent.

Syed Mobarak Hossain Kawsar, an expatriate who had returned to Dhaka with plans to relocate his family to Italy, visited the Kacchi Bhai restaurant at Green Cozy Cottage along with his wife, Swapna Akter, their two daughters, Syeda Kashfia and Syeda Noor, and their only son, Syed Abdullah. In the dreadful fire that night, they all perished. 

Syed Amir Hamza, Kawsar’s younger brother, said Kawsar had not just been his brother but “our guardian.”

“He took care of us and supported us financially. We still cannot come to terms with their loss. Every day, I am haunted by the images of my brother, sister-in-law and their children. I often wake up startled in the middle of the night, recalling that dreadful evening," Hamza said.

He attributed the devastating fire to "governmental negligence," highlighting the fact that no investigative or state agency had reached out to his family yet. He demanded justice and punishment of those responsible for the incident.

Blaze, legal action

Green Cozy Cottage, primarily known as a hub for restaurants, housed 12 eateries and three showrooms within its six-storey structure. 

In the aftermath of the blaze, the fire service revealed the absence of a fire suppression system, prompting concerns about building mismanagement and the negligent oversight of the supervising authorities.

Although the building manager, along with the owner of Kacchi Bhai and four others, were arrested, the building owners and other culpable parties remain at large.

Constructed by the Amin Mohammad Group, the building was transferred to individual owners after completion, under the supervision of the Green Cozy Cottage Space Owners Association. Many are enraged that those in the association have not faced legal action, saying the city corporation, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) and other relevant agencies cannot evade responsibility for the tragedy.

The horrific fire claimed the lives of 20 men, 18 women and eight children, in addition to causing injuries to numerous others.

The Criminal Investigation Department of the police is investigating one of the cases filed in connection with the fire. CID Special Superintendent of Police (Dhaka Metro North) Anisur Rahman said the agency had yet to receive all the information requested from the fire service, Rajuk and other organizations concerned. 

“Once the investigation is concluded, all details will be disclosed,” the police officer said.

How it happened

According to reports by the fire service and Rajuk, it was from a shop on the ground floor, named Chayer Chumuk, that the fire originated. As there were LPG cylinders on each floor of the building, the blaze soon became massive, engulfing the entire establishment. 

Blame game

Experts and affected individuals have raised questions about how food stalls and restaurants operated without adequate fire safety measures in a prominent area like Bailey Road. They say the building was not authorized for commercial use, yet it accommodated numerous eateries. 

Frustrated by the fact that this information only surfaced after the fire, they demand accountability from the relevant regulatory authorities regarding their negligence and inaction.

Mustak Ahmed, chief town planner (acting) at Rajuk, said Green Cozy Cottage only had approval for residential and office use. “It did not have permission to house restaurants. The building authorities did not obtain an occupancy certificate from us.” 

"There was a raid on the building after restaurants popped up there. They had trade licences and fire licences for operating restaurants. How did they get these licences?" the official asked.

Meanwhile, Kaiser Mohammad Farabi, chief property officer at Dhaka South City Corporation, categorically denied any responsibility for the fire, saying the DSCC only issued trade licences. 

He pinned blame on the fire service, Rajuk and the Department of Environment, saying incidents like this fell under their jurisdiction, not the city corporation.

On the other hand, Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director (operations and maintenance) of the fire service, said there was no room for any relevant agency to evade responsibility, noting that if everyone had fulfilled their duties, such a catastrophic accident might have been avoided.

After the fire, Amin Mohammad Group issued a press release saying the Green Cozy Cottage Space Owners Association had been in charge of the overall supervision of the building. “The building is not owned by the Amin Mohammed Group. Amin Mohammad Group (as the developer) only completed the construction in a joint venture. In 2015, when the construction of the building reached completion, the ownership was also transferred.” 

Three months on…

During a visit on Wednesday, this reporter witnessed the fire-ravaged building, located in the heart of Bailey Road.

In front of the building, there were barbed-wire barricades and several police officers. 

Access to its premises remains restricted until authorities conclude their investigations. 

Three months after the blaze, some passersby stopped in front of the building, expressing their frustration and criticizing the roles of government agencies. 

One of them, Mizanur Rahman, remarked that most people in the country were corrupt and so no organization operated within regulations. “Green Cozy Cottage is one such example.” 

Local resident Foyez Ahmed questioned how buildings, whether residential or commercial, could operate without fire safety measures and proper licences. 

He slammed the city corporation, Rajuk, police and fire service for failing to carry out their responsibilities, suggesting that such a tragedy could have been prevented with proper oversight and enforcement.