BNBC 2020 and the Fire Safety Products You Specify: A Buyer Checklist

Use the approved design as the purchasing baseline

The Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) sets the national requirements for planning, design and construction of buildings. The 2020 edition is the current version. The code is organised into parts covering topics such as administration, occupancy classification, structural design, building services and fire protection. Part 4 is the fire protection part.

Part 4 works together with the rest of the code. For example, the occupancy classification of a building (residential, educational, institutional, business, mercantile, industrial, storage, assembly and so on) and its height and floor area decide which fire protection provisions apply. A ten-storey garments factory, a hospital and a shopping centre end up with quite different requirements, even though the same chapters apply.

This article summarises what Part 4 covers in general terms. It deliberately does not quote clause numbers or numerical limits; those must be read from the official code for your specific building, ideally by a qualified engineer.

Means of escape

Means of escape is about getting every occupant out safely before conditions become dangerous. Part 4 addresses topics such as:

• Number and location of exits for each floor, based on occupancy and occupant load.
• Exit capacity and width of doors, corridors and stairs.
• Travel distance from any point to an exit, and limits on dead-end corridors.
• Protected (enclosed) stairs and fire-rated doors that keep smoke and fire out of the escape route.
• Door arrangements, such as opening in the direction of escape and the use of panic hardware where many people use the exit.
• Exit signs and emergency lighting along escape routes.
• Refuge and assembly arrangements for tall buildings and special occupancies.

These provisions drive many of the products buyers procure: fire-rated doors with closers and panic bars, exit signs and emergency luminaires. See emergency exit light requirements and fire rated doors.

Fire separation and compartmentation

Compartmentation limits how far a fire and its smoke can spread. Part 4 deals with:

• Fire resistance of the structure – walls, floors and columns must resist fire for a stated period depending on building type.
• Fire compartments – dividing large buildings into areas separated by fire-resisting walls and floors.
• Separation of high-risk rooms such as generator rooms, boiler rooms, electrical rooms, transformer rooms and stores of flammable materials.
• Protection of openings in fire-resisting construction, using fire-rated doors, shutters and dampers.
• Vertical shafts such as lift shafts, service shafts and stair cores, which must not become chimneys for smoke.
• Fire-stopping of penetrations where cables, pipes and ducts pass through fire walls and floors.

When a design requires a door or shaft door with a stated fire rating, the product you buy must have test evidence for that rating in that configuration. See louver door and shaft door guide for shaft-specific details.

Detection, alarm, suppression and fire-fighting equipment

Detection and alarm. Part 4 covers when buildings need automatic fire detection, manual call points and alarm systems, and how alarms are arranged so that occupants are warned in time. Browse fire alarm and detection.

Fire-fighting equipment. The code addresses portable fire extinguishers, hose reels and hose cabinets, wet or dry risers, and hydrants, so occupants and firefighters can fight a fire.

Automatic suppression. Sprinkler systems are required for certain occupancies and building heights, and special hazards can call for other systems such as gaseous suppression.

Water supply and pumps. Fire water storage, fire pumps and their power supply underpin hose and sprinkler systems.

Smoke control and building services. Provisions also cover smoke management in larger buildings and interfaces with lifts, ventilation and electrical systems.

The role of FSCD and RAJUK

Two public bodies matter most for fire safety approvals in Dhaka:

Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD). FSCD is Bangladesh's fire and rescue service. Alongside responding to fires, it administers fire safety under the country's fire prevention legislation. In practice this means:

• Issuing fire licences for many types of premises, such as factories, warehouses and commercial establishments, with periodic renewal.
• Giving fire safety clearance for certain buildings, particularly high-rise and large buildings, as part of the approval process.
• Inspecting premises and requiring corrections where deficiencies are found.

RAJUK (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha). RAJUK is the capital development authority. Within its area it approves building plans, checks compliance with building construction rules and BNBC, and is involved in occupancy approval. Outside RAJUK's area, other development authorities or local government bodies play this role.

Factories are also inspected under labour law by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), and export factories often face buyer or RSC audits too. Check current procedures directly with the authorities, because forms and processes change.

Working with qualified engineers

BNBC compliance is a design exercise, not a shopping list. A qualified fire protection engineer will:

1. Confirm the occupancy classification, height and area of the building.
2. Identify the Part 4 provisions that apply and any special-hazard requirements.
3. Design escape routes, compartmentation, detection, alarm and fire-fighting systems.
4. Produce drawings, specifications and a BOQ that suppliers can price consistently.
5. Support approvals and inspections with FSCD, RAJUK or the relevant authority.
6. Witness testing and commissioning.

Safety Plus provides fire protection project coordination, installation support and technical consultancy. Whoever you engage, ask for their relevant experience, the codes they design to and how they handle approvals.

How to buy products that match a BNBC-based design

• Ask your engineer for a specification that states the rating and standard each product must meet, for example a fire-rated door with a stated fire resistance period.
• Ask suppliers for test evidence that matches the specified configuration, such as a test certificate for the door model and size, or listing references for hardware.
• Check installation requirements, because a correctly tested product can still fail if installed wrongly, for example a fire door fixed in a non-rated wall or with gaps around the frame.
• Keep records of products, certificates and test reports for inspections and licence renewals.

Safety Plus manufactures fire-rated doors (catalogue fire rating up to 180 minutes), fire hose cabinets and DB boxes, and supplies extinguishers, alarm and suppression systems. Send your engineer's specification through request a quote. Also useful: factory fire safety equipment list.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Fire Service and Civil Defence, Bangladesh
• RAJUK (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha)
• RMG Sustainability Council (RSC)