Bangladesh, July 21 -- Bangladesh's skyline is rising at an unprecedented pace, but while thousands of lifts are installed each year, the regulatory framework responsible for ensuring their safety has failed to keep pace.

No government agency is legally responsible for inspecting lifts throughout their operational life or verifying that they continue to comply with safety standards after installation.

Although the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) prescribes technical requirements based largely on the European EN 81 safety standards, enforcement remains fragmented, with responsibility divided among several agencies but no single regulator accountable for passenger safety.

The findings are based on interviews with manufacturers,...