Shopping malls are meant to be places of leisure, commerce and safety — but the tragic pattern of recent fires in Bangladesh shows they can quickly turn into deathtraps when active fire-fighting measures and building safeguards are missing. Installing properly designed and maintained fire hydrant systems in every mall is not a luxury: it’s a practical, evidence-based lifesaver that protects people, property and the city’s emergency response capability.

Below I lay out the real data, local scenarios, building-code context, and practical recommendations for Bangladesh — with sources you can check.

The scale of the problem (real data from Bangladesh)

• Bangladesh recorded 26,659 fire incidents in 2024, with 140 deaths and 341 injured, according to the Fire Service & Civil Defence (FSCD) press release summarized by national outlets. That’s roughly 73 fires per day. These incidents caused estimated property damage of TK 447 crore while the FSCD reported saving TK 1,974 crore in value from fires. The Business Standard

• Mall and high-rise building fires have produced some of the most deadly single incidents. A severe blaze at the six-storey Green Cozy Cottage shopping mall (Dhaka) in March 2024 killed dozens (reports put the toll at 43–46 dead) and exposed problems such as unauthorized use of spaces, blocked or absent emergency exits, and inadequate fire protection measures. Survivors were evacuated to roofs and rescued by firefighters. Al Jazeera+1

• Earlier high-rise disasters (e.g., the FR Tower fire in Banani, Dhaka, 2019) demonstrated similar failures: lack of sprinklers, insufficient fire exits and rapid smoke spread that trapped occupants. Those events underscore that multi-storey commercial buildings need reliable, internal firefighting infrastructure. Wikipedia+1

What is a fire hydrant system and why it matters for malls

A fire hydrant system for a building typically means an internal wet or dry standpipe network, hose reels/hose connections on each level, adequate water storage (or connection to a reliable external water main), fire pumps (with backup power), and external street-side hydrant points where needed. It gives firefighters and trained staff immediate access to pressurized water close to the seat of the fire — instead of hauling long hoses from distant pumps. BNBC guidance and professional design standards describe flow-rates, pipe sizes and pump requirements depending on occupancy and height. AnyFlip+1

Key functions:

• Rapid attack: Fighting a fire in its early stage dramatically reduces casualties and spread.

• Reach: Standpipes and hoses on each floor reach areas where external ladders cannot.

• Firefighter efficiency: Hydrants and pumps reduce setup time so FSCD crews can suppress fires faster.

• Property conservation: Early suppression contains damage and lowers direct economic losses.

Evidence that hydrants save lives and property

• In multi-storey incidents, the absence of internal water supply and active firefighting (sprinklers/standpipes) has repeatedly translated into higher casualties and more severe burns as smoke and heat trap occupants. The Green Cozy Cottage case showed overcrowded floors, restaurants with unauthorized cooking and trapped people fleeing to rooftops — situations where internal hydrants + staff training could have allowed quicker containment. Al Jazeera+1

• National codes (BNBC) require manual fire alarm and hydrant systems for many non-residential occupancies and give criteria for when standpipe/hydrant systems are mandatory (height, floor area, occupancy type). Where such systems are present and maintained, they form a first line of defense while FSCD arrives. BNBC sections and related fire-safety audits repeatedly recommend hydrants and dedicated fire pumps for factories and tall buildings. AnyFlip+1

Practical reasons every mall should have hydrants (concise)

1. Immediate suppression capability — malls are high-occupancy, mixed-use spaces (shops, food courts, cinemas). Fires originating in kitchens or retail stockrooms spread fast; hydrants let trained staff and firefighters attack without delay. Al Jazeera

2. Reduce evacuation risk — slower fire control means more people exposed to smoke and panic during evacuation; quicker knockdown lowers deaths/injuries. AP News

3. Complement sprinklers and alarms — hydrants are not a replacement but an essential complement (sprinklers may fail or not be installed). BNBC expects fixed systems in many commercial occupancies. AnyFlip

4. Help firefighters be effective in dense urban areas — narrow streets and traffic can delay external water supply; internal hydrants provide ready water on upper floors. Law Resource

5. Lower economic loss and downtime — data shows huge national losses; earlier containment saves stock, infrastructure and livelihoods. The Business Standard

What a good hydrant program for a mall in Bangladesh looks like

1. Design to BNBC / professional standards — hydraulic calculations for flow rates, standpipe sizing, pump capacity and storage per BNBC (and NFPA where applicable). Ensure hydrant spacing and number match occupancy and building height. AnyFlip+1

2. Reliable water source + redundant pump power — municipal supply may be unreliable; include an on-site tank and diesel/electric pump with automatic switch-over. Lima

3. Visible signage and unobstructed access — hose cabinets and external street hydrants must be clearly marked and kept clear. BNBC explicitly calls for hydrant coverage and fire apparatus access. Law Resource

4. Periodic testing & maintenance — hoses, nozzles, valves and pumps must be tested regularly; records should be available to FSCD inspectors. dce.buet.ac.bd

5. Staff training & drills — mall management and shop tenants must be trained to use hoses, perform initial containment and guide evacuations. Al Jazeera

6. Coordination with FSCD — hydrant layouts, water sources and access plans shared with local fire authorities for faster, coordinated response. File Chittagong

Policy & enforcement: why compliance matters now

The repeated tragedies (Green Cozy Cottage 2024, FR Tower 2019, and many other building fires) are not just engineering failures — they are governance and enforcement failures. The BNBC contains provisions for hydrant and fixed firefighting arrangements for many occupancies; the gap is in enforcement, inspection and retrofitting older buildings. Stronger mandatory retrofitting rules for malls, strict inspection certificates tied to occupancy licenses, and meaningful penalties for non-compliance will save lives. Al Jazeera+1

Hydrant specification for shopping malls — recommended minimums

How to use this: treat the items below as a site-specific design starting point. Final values must be determined by a qualified fire-protection engineer using hydraulic calculations, BNBC review/approval, and coordination with the local FSCD (Bangladesh Fire Service & Civil Defence). The figures below follow BNBC principles and NFPA standpipe/hydrant practice as a baseline. Law Resource+1

1) System type and coverage

• System type: Wet riser / standpipe system with hose reel/2½″ (65 mm) hose connections on each floor (for Class I/III use) and street-side/private hydrant points for external supply. Provide at least one hose outlet per stair/lift lobby and additional outlets to achieve full floor coverage. dce.buet.ac.bd+1

2) Design flow (total system demand)

Select design flow by mall size / hazard level. Typical guidance used in Bangladesh and by local designers:

• Small-to-medium mall (up to ~3 storeys / low hazard retail): 750 US GPM (≈ 2,839 L/min, 170.3 m³/hr).

• Medium mall / multi-floor (sprinklered): 1,000 US GPM (≈ 3,785 L/min, 227.1 m³/hr).

• Large / high-hazard / major regional mall: 1,250 US GPM (≈ 4,732 L/min, 283.9 m³/hr).
  These flow bands match common standpipe/hydrant design practice (local consultants commonly use 750–1,250 GPM ranges). Final flow must be set by hydraulic calculation. Textile & Fashion News+1

(Conversions used: 1 US gallon = 3.785411784 L — values shown to aid pump/tank selection.) NFPA

3) Design pressure (residual at most remote outlet)

• Minimum residual outlet pressure: 100 psi (≈ 6.9 bar) at the hydraulically most remote 2½″ hose connection for modern Class I/III systems (use 65 psi only where legacy codes specifically permit). Do not exceed maximum working pressures specified by NFPA / manufacturer (pressure regulating valves required where static/residual pressures exceed safe limits). This ensures adequate nozzle performance and overcomes friction & elevation head. NFPA+1

4) Fire pump capacity & head

• Pump sizing: choose a pump (or pump set) that delivers the selected design flow at the required residual pressure after accounting for elevation head and friction losses. Example targets (gross flow → approximate pump flow):

  • 750 GPM → pump capable of ~2,840 L/min at required head.

  • 1,000 GPM → pump capable of ~3,785 L/min at required head.

  • 1,250 GPM → pump capable of ~4,732 L/min at required head.

• Redundancy: provide at minimum an automatic electric motor-driven fire pump plus a diesel-driven backup pump (automatic changeover) when municipal supply is unreliable. Provide jockey pump for pressure maintenance if needed. Law Resource+1

5) Fire water storage (on-site tank)

• Recommended minimum reserve: size the fire tank to supply the system for a minimum of 60 minutes at the chosen design flow (common practice; many jurisdictions use 60–120 minutes depending on risk). For example:

  • 1,000 GPM (3,785 L/min) × 60 minutes → ≈ 227 m³ of water.

• If supplemental municipal supply is highly reliable and hydraulically adequate, tank size may be reduced with engineering justification; otherwise plan conservatively. BNBC requires that owners provide water for firefighting based on height and occupancy. Law Resource+1

6) Pipe sizes, hose & nozzle

• Riser diameter: sized by hydraulic calculations. Typical minimums: 4–6″ mains turning into 2½″ hose valves on each floor for standpipe outlets.

• Hose: 2½″ (65 mm) hoses for heavy streams; 1½″ for light-duty Class II where used. Hoses and couplings should conform to NFPA / BS standards and be UL/FM listed where possible. Nozzles should be smooth-bore or combination type rated for the selected flow. ss.pwd.gov.bd+1

7) Fire Department Connection (FDC) & external hydrants

• FDC: Provide a Fire Department Connection at grade to allow FSCD/engine pumpers to supplement system pressure/flow. Clearly label and keep unlocked and accessible.

• Street/private hydrants: spacing and number should match hydraulic demand and local FSCD requirements; ensure adequate flow from municipal mains or private network. BNBC allows private hydrant systems to substitute for some municipal access when they meet FSCD specs. Scribd+1

8) Zoning & pressure management for tall malls

• For malls that exceed single-zone vertical limits, divide standpipe into low/upper zones with separate pumps or pressure-boosting arrangements as per NFPA 14 and BNBC guidance. Use pressure-reducing valves where static pressures would otherwise exceed equipment ratings. aspenyc.org+1

9) Installation & materials

• All hydrant cabinets, valves, hoses, couplings and fittings should conform to BNBC and recognized standards (NFPA, BS, UL/FM where available). Hose cabinets must be clearly marked and unobstructed. Provide hose racks, nozzles, hydrant keys, spanners and basic firefighting hand-tools. ss.pwd.gov.bd+1

10) Commissioning, testing & maintenance

• Acceptance test (commissioning): full-flow hydraulic tests (to verify required flow & residual pressure) witnessed by the approving authority/FSCD.

• Routine tests: monthly visual inspections; quarterly flow tests of pumps and hydrant valves; annual full-flow test of standpipe system with record keeping. Hoses to be pressure-tested and replaced per manufacturer life/exposure. Valve operation, pump start (auto and manual), generator changeover and alarm interlocks must be tested regularly. ss.pwd.gov.bd+1

11) Training & documentation

• Mall management must maintain up-to-date system drawings, hydraulic calculations, pump curves, spare parts list, and a log of inspections and tests. Conduct quarterly fire response drills for mall staff (hose operation, initial attack, evacuation). Share hydrant plans with local FSCD station. dce.buet.ac.bd+1

12) Signage & access

• Mark hydrant cabinets, FDC, fire pump room, and fire apparatus access points with approved signs. Keep hydrant access roads, fire-lane parking, and hydrant cabinets free of obstruction at all times (BNBC/FSCD requirement). Scribd+1

Quick example: sample spec (summary block you can paste into a tender)

• Design flow: 1,000 US GPM (3,785 L/min)

• Design residual pressure at most remote 2½″ outlet: 100 psi (6.9 bar)

• Fire pump: Electric + diesel backup sized to deliver 1,000 GPM at required head; jockey pump for pressure maintenance.

• Fire water tank: 60 minutes @ design flow → ≈ 227 m³.

• Hose outlets: 2½″ outlets at each stair/lobby; hose length to cover remote parts of each floor. Hose & couplings per NFPA/BS standards.

• FDC: 2 × 2½″ Siamese inlets with non-return valves, located at grade & signed.

• Testing: Commissioning flow test; monthly visual; quarterly pump run & valve exercise; annual full-flow test. NFPA+1

Fire Hydrant System – Mall Manager’s Checklist

🔧 System Readiness

• Fire pump (electric + diesel backup) tested weekly/quarterly — starts automatically and delivers required flow.

• Jockey pump (pressure maintenance) working.

• Water storage tank full; level indicators functional.

🚒 Hydrant Points

• Hose cabinets on each floor visible, unlocked, and unobstructed.

• Hoses, nozzles, and valves in good condition (no leaks, cracks, corrosion).

• External Fire Department Connection (FDC) clearly marked and accessible.

📏 Performance

• System provides at least 100 psi residual pressure at the most remote hydrant.

• Water reserve sized for minimum 60 minutes at design flow.

📝 Records & Maintenance

• Logbook updated: last pump test, last hose pressure test, last tank refill.

• Annual full-flow test carried out with FSCD/engineer witness.

• Spare hoses, nozzles, and fittings available.

👷 People & Training

• Security and mall staff trained to operate hydrants and guide evacuation.

• Fire drill conducted at least quarterly.

• Hydrant layout plan and contact numbers of nearest FSCD station displayed at control room.

Conclusion — a practical moral

Installing and maintaining fire hydrant systems in every shopping mall is a cost that pays back in human lives saved, property preserved, and reduced pressure on our firefighters. The data from 2023–2024 shows Bangladesh still faces dozens of fatal, high-impact fires every year — many in commercial or mixed-use buildings. Hydrants are a practical, code-backed, life-saving measure that should be non-negotiable for malls across the country. The Business Standard+1

Sources (selected)

• Fire Service & Civil Defence / national reporting on fire incidents 2024 (The Business Standard). The Business Standard

• Al Jazeera / AP reporting on Green Cozy Cottage shopping mall fire (March 2024). Al Jazeera+1

• Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) extracts and guidance on hydrant/standpipe requirements. AnyFlip+1

• Technical resources on hydrant system design and fire-pump requirements (BUET/DCE course notes, audits). dce.buet.ac.bd+1