Reframing Fire Safety Governance: A Policy Review Framework for Integrating Proactive Building Fire Risk Management (PBFRM) with Resilience–Sustainability–Smartness (ReSuSm)

Building fire safety (BFS) governance needs policies that move from reactive response to proactive risk management. However, integrating proactive building fire risk management (PBFRM) with resilience, sustainability, and smartness (ReSuSm) remains a significant governance challenge in rapidly urbanising countries. This study develops a policy review framework of 20 indicators in four components, based on a narrative review of 63 studies, and applies it to Bangladesh. Twenty-two policies, plans, acts, rules, and a building code, current to September 2025, were analysed through qualitative content analysis and scored from 0 to 3 on each indicator. The findings reveal that fire risks are widely recognised across policies. PBFRM provisions exist in building, fire safety, and occupational safety legislation, but they are inconsistent, with overlapping mandates, weak coordination, and little periodic review. Planning, environment, technology, and disaster management policies give fire little attention. While elements of ReSuSm are present, they remain insufficiently operationalised. These dimensions are rarely interconnected within BFS. The scores reflect provisions on paper, not enforcement in practice. The study contributes a novel analytical framework for identifying policy gaps and support reforms for integrated PBFRM and ReSuSm.