Is a fire safety plan mandatory in Bangladesh?

For most factories, commercial buildings and high-rise buildings, a documented fire safety arrangement is expected by the Fire Service and Civil Defence when issuing or renewing a fire licence, and by DIFE during factory inspections. Export buyers also ask for it in their audits. The exact documents required depend on the building type, so we confirm them for your premises.

What should a factory fire safety plan include?

It should include floor-wise evacuation drawings, the location of every extinguisher, hose reel, hydrant, alarm call point and exit, the assembly point, the alarm and evacuation procedure, the names and duties of fire wardens and the fire-fighting team, a drill schedule, training records, and an inspection and maintenance schedule for all fire equipment.

How do I choose a fire safety plan firm in Bangladesh?

Look for a fire safety plan firm with engineers who understand both fire protection systems and Bangladeshi compliance requirements, who visit and survey the actual building rather than using a template, and who can explain how the plan links to your fire licence, DIFE inspection and buyer audits. Ask to see the scope and deliverables in writing before you start.

How often should a fire safety plan be updated?

Review it at least once a year, and update it whenever the layout changes, a floor or production line is added, the occupancy increases, fire equipment is added or moved, or fire wardens leave. Drawings that show exits or equipment in the wrong place are a common audit finding and can mislead people in a real emergency.

How often must fire drills be carried out in a factory?

The Bangladesh Labour Rules require factories to hold fire drills at regular intervals and to keep trained fire-fighting teams, and buyers often set their own frequency. We include a drill schedule in the plan and a record format, and we recommend you confirm the current minimum frequency for your sector with DIFE or your compliance adviser.

What is the difference between a fire safety plan and a fire safety assessment?

A fire safety plan sets out how the building will be kept safe and how people will respond to a fire. A fire safety assessment is an inspection that checks whether the building, its systems and its management actually meet the requirements, and lists the gaps. Many owners start with an assessment and then update their plan to close the gaps.

Fire Safety Plan in Bangladesh

A fire safety plan in Bangladesh is the documented fire safety arrangement of a building. It combines drawings showing escape routes, exits, assembly points and fire equipment with a written plan for alarms, evacuation, fire wardens, fire-fighting teams, drills and maintenance. It is usually needed for a Fire Service and Civil Defence licence and for factory compliance.

Last updated: 7 October 2026Part of: Engineering services

A clear fire safety plan in Bangladesh is what turns fire equipment on the wall into a working response when a fire starts. Without one, people do not know which exit to use, nobody is responsible for checking that everyone is out, and extinguishers go unserviced. TOTO POWER Engineering, an engineering consultancy operating since 2011 and enlisted with the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), prepares fire safety plans for factories, warehouses, offices and residential buildings from our Dhaka and Chittagong offices.

Fire safety plan in Bangladesh showing fire protection equipment for a factory building

What is a fire safety plan?

A fire safety plan is the single document that describes how a particular building is protected against fire and how its occupants will respond. It has two parts. The first is a set of drawings: floor plans showing escape routes, exits, stairs, the assembly point and the position of every item of fire equipment. The second is a written plan: who raises the alarm, how the building is evacuated, who the fire wardens and fire-fighting team members are, how often drills are held, and how fire equipment is inspected and maintained.

The plan does not replace the engineering design of the building. It is built on top of it. If the building has not yet been designed for fire safety, start with our fire safety design service, then prepare the plan once exits and systems are fixed.

Who needs a fire safety plan in Bangladesh?

Factories, especially RMG, textile and other labour-intensive units, where DIFE and buyer audits check evacuation arrangements, fire teams and drill records.
Owners applying for or renewing a fire licence from the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD).
Commercial and high-rise buildings such as offices, shopping centres, hotels and hospitals with many occupants.
Warehouses and stores holding combustible goods or chemicals.
Residential apartment buildings, where owners' associations need a simple, practical evacuation arrangement.

What does a fire safety plan include?

Evacuation drawings

Floor-by-floor plans showing primary and alternative escape routes, exits, protected stairs, the "you are here" position for each displayed copy, and the external assembly point. Drawings are made simple enough to read in a few seconds.

Fire equipment locations

The position and type of every extinguisher, hose reel, hydrant, manual call point, alarm panel, sprinkler valve, fire pump and emergency light, so that staff and fire fighters can find them quickly.

Alarm and evacuation procedure

Step-by-step actions for anyone who discovers a fire, for supervisors, for fire wardens and for management, including calling the fire service, shutting down machines and power, and assisting people with reduced mobility.

Fire wardens and the fire-fighting team

A named organisation chart: the fire safety in-charge, floor or section fire wardens, the fire-fighting team, rescue and first-aid members, with their duties before, during and after a fire. Factories are expected under the Labour Rules to keep trained fire-fighting teams, so the plan also records their training.

Fire drills and training

A drill schedule, a drill procedure, a record format showing evacuation time and problems found, and a training plan for new workers and team members.

Inspection and maintenance

Checklists and frequencies for extinguishers, hydrants, sprinklers, pumps, alarm systems, emergency lights and fire doors, plus daily checks that exits and escape routes are clear.

Fire extinguisher operation instructions included in a fire safety plan for factory workers in Bangladesh

How is a fire safety plan prepared?

Document review. We collect architectural drawings, any approved fire safety drawings, the existing fire licence and previous audit reports.
Site survey. Our engineers walk every floor, record exits, stairs, equipment and hazards, and note anything that blocks or weakens an escape route.
Gap list. Problems found during the survey are listed with recommendations. Serious gaps may need a full fire safety assessment.
Drawings. We prepare floor-wise evacuation and equipment drawings.
Written plan. We draft the procedures, organisation chart, drill and maintenance schedules with your management team.
Review and handover. We walk through the plan with management and fire wardens and agree where the drawings will be displayed.
Optional drill support. We can observe the first drill and suggest improvements.

What you receive

Floor-wise evacuation drawings in print-ready format for display
Fire equipment location drawings
A written fire safety plan with alarm and evacuation procedures
A fire safety organisation chart with warden and team duties
Drill schedule and drill record template
Inspection and maintenance checklists for fire equipment
A list of gaps found during the survey with recommended actions

Fire safety plan, design and assessment compared

Service	What it answers	Typical output
Fire safety design	How should the building and its systems be engineered?	Design report and engineering drawings
Fire safety plan	How do we keep the building safe and respond to a fire?	Evacuation drawings and written plan
Fire safety assessment	Does the building actually meet the requirements?	Inspection report and corrective actions

How does the fire licence and approval process work?

In general, the Fire Service and Civil Defence reviews a building's fire safety arrangements under the Fire Prevention and Extinguishing Act 2003 before issuing a fire licence, and the licence must be renewed periodically. The owner submits an application with supporting documents, which commonly include building drawings, fire safety drawings, a list of fire equipment and evidence of trained staff. An FSCD inspection of the premises usually follows. Requirements vary with the type, size and use of the building, so we confirm the current checklist for your premises before preparing the documents. For factories, DIFE separately checks fire safety arrangements, drills and fire-fighting teams during its inspections.

Which standards and rules apply?

The plan reflects the building's design under BNBC 2020, the licensing regime of the Fire Prevention and Extinguishing Act 2003, and, for factories, the fire safety duties of the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 and Bangladesh Labour Rules 2015. NFPA 101 is a useful reference for evacuation and life safety practice, and NFPA 72, 13, 14 and 20 define how alarm, sprinkler, hydrant and pump systems should be inspected and tested. For a general overview of the risks, read our article on fire safety in Bangladesh.

What does a fire safety plan cost in Bangladesh?

The cost depends on the floor area, number of floors and buildings, the number of occupants, whether up-to-date drawings exist, how much survey work is needed and whether you want drill observation or training included. We review your drawings, agree the scope and send a written quotation.

Why choose TOTO POWER Engineering as your fire safety plan firm?

We prepare every plan from a site survey of your real building, not from a template. Our engineers also design fire protection systems and carry out fire safety assessments, so the plan matches the equipment you have and the gaps auditors look for. If the survey shows missing or faulty equipment, our fire protection system team can supply and install it, and we update the plan once the work is complete.