Online Desk: The government and private sector will have to work jointly to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and boost joint-venture fire safety and security industries to reduce import dependency, Salman F Rahman,Private Industry and Investment Adviser to the Prime Minister.

Salman made this remarks while speaking as the chief guest in the inaugural ceremony of the 9th International Fire Safety and Security Expo at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Dhaka on Saturday.

He said the market of fire safety and security has rapidly become larger as awareness and consciousness among people in building infrastructure has increased after some incidents.

The Electronics Safety and Security Association of Bangladesh (ESSAB) organized this expo, scheduled to take place from February 17 to February 19, 2024.

Addressing structural planning to reduce fire incidents, Salman F Rahman said, “Bangladesh’s RMG industry is now the safest industry in the globe.”

“We should ensure preventive measures so that such incidents could not happen in our building, infrastructure and industries,” he added.

Faruque Hassan, President, BGMEA, said ensuring fire safety and security is an unavoidable issue to enhance work environment, amplify green industrialization and enhance factory efficiency.

In his address, ESSAB President Md. Niaz Ali Chishty emphasized policy support to increase production and boost exports as well as expansion of the sector.

DG of fire service Brigadier General Md. Main Uddin, said, “Fire safety and security is the key component to ensure sustainability and make Bangladesh safer.”

He thanked BGMEA and ESSAB to make their job easier as they are playing pivotal role in establishing green and LEED certified factories which have good fire safety arrangements.

Mahbubul Alam, President, FBCCI; Brigadier General Md. Main Uddin, BSP(Bar), NDC Director General, Fire Service and Civil Defence; Faruque Hassan, President, BGMEA; Md. Niaz Ali Chisty, President, ESSAB; SM Shahjahan, Senior Vice President, ESSAB; Zakir Uddin Ahmed, Secretary General, ESSAB were present at the event.