Fire
Fire at Dhaka’s New Supermarket now under control
A fire that broke out at Dhaka’s New Supermarket — next to New Market — early today, has been brought under control.
The blaze was brought under control around 9:10 am, said Shahjahan Sikder, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters media cell.
Members of law enforcement agencies are assisting traders in evacuating the establishment with their goods.
A total of 28 firefighting units and teams of Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force are working to douse the blaze.
Read More: Fire at Barishal Plaza, opposite Bangabazar Market, doused.
Fire at Barishal Plaza, opposite Bangabazar Market, doused
A fire that broke out earlier this morning (April 08, 2023) at Dhaka’s Barishal Plaza Market -- opposite to Bangabazar which burned down just four days ago -- has been doused.
The fire broke out on the 3rd floor of the market around 8:05 am and spread soon, said Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters.
There are a number of markets within Barishal Plaza and Maleka Market is on the 3rd floor of the building.
Also read: Demra chemical warehouse fire tamed within one hour
On information, 14 firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control around 8:45 am.
It took the firefighters nearly one and a half hours to fully douse the flames around 9:40 am.
However, what caused the fire could not be known immediately.
Read More: Traders can temporarily operate at Bangabazar from this Saturday: Salman F Rahman
No casualty has been reported.
A massive fire broke out at the Bangabazar Market in Dhaka on April 4 and it spread to some other nearby markets, burning several thousand shops, with mainly readymade clothes and footwear, to ashes.
Traders can temporarily operate at Bangabazar from this Saturday: Salman F Rahman
Traders and shop owners of Dhaka's Bangabazar Market that burned down on April 4, can operate their businesses temporarily from this Saturday (April 08, 2023) at the site and adjacent area so that they can recover some of the losses.
Bangladesh Prime Minister's Adviser on Private Industries and Investment, Salman F Rahman, gave the instruction to the shop owners’ association, after visiting the site today (April 06, 2023).
Salman F Rahman visited Bangabazar Market along with leaders of different trade bodies and shop owners' associations.
Last Tuesday, a fire broke out at the Bangabazar Complex, one of the main shopping areas in Dhaka city. During his visit to Bangabazar, Rahman also interacted with the affected traders of the market.
Read More: Fakhrul suspects influential AL leaders behind Bangabazar Market fire
After Rahman left Bangabazar, Bangladesh Shop Owners Association President Helal Uddin told reporters that he (Rahman) called him on his way back from the market.
PM’s adviser then told Helal that the burnt area will be cleaned tomorrow (Friday), and the traders can temporarily operate there from Saturday.
While visiting the market, Rahman also said that he spoke to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was deeply saddened by the incident.
“The Prime Minister would like to provide assistance from her fund. Apart from this, many people from all over the country want to help,” he was quoted as saying.
Read More: Bangabazar traders want interest-free loans to survive in business
“For this, the shop owners’ association has been asked to open a joint account with the business organization here,” he said.
He urged the Market Committee to prepare a list of affected traders and submit it to the City Corporation by next Sunday to get financial assistance.
Rahman also said that if the previous case filed by some traders of Bangabazar Market is withdrawn, initiatives will be taken to implement the government’s previous plan to build a new market there.
He said, when the market was burnt down years back, the government wanted to construct a new building there. But a fraction of traders did not want it and filed a lawsuit. If that case is withdrawn, the market will be rebuilt according to the previous government plan.
Read More: Govt to assist Bangabazar businesses to recover from fire damages: PM Hasina
Govt to assist Bangabazar businesses to recover from fire damages: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday (April 05, 2023) said the government will assist the Bangabazar businesspeople as much as possible after estimating the damages caused by Tuesday’s fire.
“I’ve already assured that we will help them as much as we can. We’ll assess who incurred how much loss,” she said addressing an event at her official residence Ganabhaban.
The event was arranged to receive Tk 316.91 crore as first and second installments of the loan provided by the government for construction of Padma Bridge.
Road Transport and Bridge Minister Obaidul Quader handed over a cheque of Tk 316,90,97,049 to the Prime Minister as the first and second installments of the loan taken from Bangladesh Bank at a low interest rate under an agreement signed between the Finance Division and the Bangladesh Bridge Authority.
Read More: Repayment of Padma Bridge loan starts with Tk 316.91 crore given to govt
Terming the fire as a very tragic incident, Hasina said it is too much to bear the suffering and crying of so many businesspeople ahead of the Eid-ul Fitr.
She said the government undertook a project to construct a planned market there following the fire incidents in 1995 and 2018. But a good number of people obstructed it and filed a writ petition and then the High Court stayed the project.
“Hadn’t it (the project) been stayed at that time, we could have built a good market and then such a terrible accident would not have happened,” she said.
The premier, however, lambasted a number of unruly people who attacked nearby the headquarters of the fire service. Their behavior has angered her, she said.
Read More: Bangabazar blaze: DSCC forms probe committee
The firefighters rushed to the spot soon after fire broke out to extinguish the blaze.
The PM said she asked to identify the attackers and take proper action against them. “Proper action will be taken against them. Case will be filed against them,” she said.
She said if anyone attacks the members or vehicles of the fire service or other public property in future, they won’t be spared.
2 siblings burnt to death in sleep in Shariatpur
Two siblings were burnt to death and another was injured in sleep on Monday night as a fire broke out in their house at Shakhipur Union in Shariatpur.
The deceased were identified as Arafat, 8, and Samia, 13. The injured sibling, Mim, 12, is in critical condition.
Police quoting the family said the three siblings went to sleep after Tarawih prayers last night, and a fire broke into their room at around 10 pm.
Locals rescued and rushed them to Vedorganj Upazila health complex. They were later transferred to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn & Plastic Surgery.
Arafat and Mim died while undergoing treatment there.
GM Amir Hossain, in charge of Vedorganj fire service, said they are suspecting an electrical short circuit caused the fire.
'999' service suspended due to Bangabazar fire
National emergency service – 999 – has been suspended due to the massive fire at Bangabazar in the capital, said Police Headquarters.
It also requested people to contact local police stations or fire stations in case of emergency.
The massive fire broke out at Bangabazar market in Dhaka around 6:10 am on Tuesday (April 04, 2023) and spread soon.
Read More: Bangabazar Market fire: 5 fall sick from inhaling smoke
The blaze was brought under control around 12:36 pm, said Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters.
However, black smoke is still coming out from different places and firefighters were still working to fully douse the fire, he said.
Forty-eight firefighting units were engaged in extinguishing the blaze.
Read More: Bangabazar Market fire in Dhaka causes huge traffic jam
However, what caused the fire could not be known yet.
At least five people fell sick while trying to extinguish the fire.
Bangabazar Market fire in Dhaka causes huge traffic jam
The devastating fire that broke out at Bangabazar market in Dhaka on Tuesday (April 04, 2023) morning caused an unusual traffic jam around the market area due to the closure of adjacent roads.
Fire service, police, RAB, army, air force and navy are trying to extinguish the blaze that broke out around 6:10 am.
Read More: Bangabazar fire: Shahidul, Moinuddin watch their businesses go up in flames
Jayita Das, senior assistant police commissioner of DMP Traffic Lalbagh Zone, said that traffic movement in the adjacent areas has been stopped to ease the fire control activities.
Traffic movement has been closed and limited on the roads in front of the High Court-Gulistan, Banga Bazar, Golap Shah Mazar police headquarters to Dhaka Medical, he added.
This instruction about traffic movement will remain in force in this area until the situation turns normal, said the officer adding that general public are requested to use alternative roads.
Read More: Fire at Bangabazar market still raging
Bangabazar fire: Shahidul, Moinuddin watch their businesses go up in flames
Shahidul’s life goals and plans were shattered within a matter of minutes as three of his shops burned down in the massive fire that broke out at Dhaka's Bangabazar Market earlier today (April 04, 2023).
“I came here around 6:30 am only to see the fire engulfing the whole market. The firefighting units are trying to bring the fire under control but haven't yet managed to do so,” Shahidul lamented at Government Employee’s Hospital.
“I had some hope that the firefighting units would be able to save Annex Tower where my shop and two warehouses are located but the fire engulfed it also,” he said.
Shahiful, hailing from Shahrasti upazila of Chandpur district, opened his shop at Phulbaria Bangabazar Market in 1991. Later, he became the owner of three more shops.
Also read: Fire at Bangabazar market still raging
He claimed that he purchased goods worth Tk 8 crore for his four shops ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, but the fire turned everything into ash.
“I could not imagine that I would lose everything before Eid,” said Shahidul.
Like Shahidul, Moinuddin, another businessman and owner of Dolon Garment store in the market, said, “Everything has been lost.”
“I failed to do business for the last two years due to Covid-19. During this period, I faced a loss of several lakhs of taka. This year, I hoped that I will be able to make up for the losses but the fire has ruined everything.”
Read More: Bangabazar market fire causes huge traffic jam
“I can’t continue my business anymore,” he said.
A massive fire broke out at Bangabazar Market this morning. 48 firefighting units are still working to extinguish the blaze.
Bangabazar market fire under control after 6 hrs
The massive fire that broke out at the Bangabazar market in Dhaka on Tuesday morning has been brought under control after more than six hours of frantic efforts.The blaze was brought under control around 12:36 pm, said Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters.However, black smoke is still coming out from different places and firefighters are still working to fully douse the fire, he said.
Read More: Bangabazar Market fire in Dhaka causes huge traffic jam
Brigadier General Md. Main Uddin, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defense, said that the fire doused after more than six hours but it will take one hour more to extinguish the blaze.
Manpower, equipment shortage hamper activities of Khulna Division Fire Service
There are 60 stations under the Khulna Divisional Fire Service and Civil Defense where 223 posts are vacant and most of them do not have necessary equipment to fight fire or any other big disaster.
According to fire service personnel, on one hand there is not enough manpower and equipment and on the other, they have to work through adversity due to lack of water sources, electric and dish cables, narrow roads and onlookers.
In such a situation, they have controlled 2,034 fire incidents in the division last year that left 265 people dead and 2,032 others wounded.
Read More: Gulistan blast: Death toll rises to 22
These stations were supposed to have 1,688 manpower, but there are 1,465 people and 223 posts are vacant. Of these, one out of 10 posts of deputy assistant director, one of assistant communication engineer, 47 out of 64 station officers, seven out of 11 fire officers, three out of three mobilizing officers, one out of 47 sub-officers, seven out of 131 leaders, 126 out of 1,013 firefighters, 17 out of 258 drivers are vacant.
There are 58 water-carrying vehicles, 53 small covered vans, 11 vehicles for carrying passengers for exercise, one car for public relations for the exercise, 22 ambulances, four SUVs, 103 pumps, 13 special vehicles and five vessels for the exercise.
From January to December last year, fire service members responded to 1,244 road accidents, 2,034 fires and 91 other accidents. Besides, assets worth Tk 59,56,58,000 were recovered and 2,032 people were rescued in 1,870 different types of accidents.
Read More: Fire at Gazipur cotton warehouse under control
Divisional Fire Service and Civil Defense authorities said there are 60 fire service stations in 10 districts of the division. Besides, the construction of four stations in Fakirhat and Chitalmari upazila in Bagerhat, Tala and Shyamnagar upazilas in Satkhira has been completed.
Besides, land has been finalized for the construction of two more fire stations at Daulatpur in Kushtia and Paikgachha in Khulna.
Talking to the UNB correspondent, some members of the fire service said during the firefighting, there is a problem in working fast due to lack of water source on the way to the spot and after going to the spot, the hanging wires of electric and dish lines, narrow roads and electric poles on roads.
Read More: Explosion in Science Lab area a massive accident: Fire Service DG
Apart from this, there is a shortage of manpower, diving units, vehicles, disruption of wireless communication, and non-implementation of fire safety in multi-storied residential and commercial buildings, they said.
According to the fire service members, Khulna Sadar and Tutpara station buildings are old and dilapidated. There were also incidents of injuries in the collapse of the building's plaster. Cars, computers, and wireless equipment were also damaged. There are 150 firefighters living in this dilapidated building with their lives at risk. There was a quarter for the members of the fire service, which was declared abandoned.
Deputy Assistant Director of Khulna Fire Service and Civil Defense Tanharul Islam said, "It is necessary to remove the old building and construct a new one. This will result in vehicle safety and safe housing for fire service members at risk. And it is necessary to provide the much-needed equipment on an urgent basis to speed up the fire activities properly.”
Read More: Gas explosions took 82 lives in 3 years in Narayanganj, threats remain: Police, fire service
Mamun Mahmud, deputy director of the Divisional Fire Service and Civil Defense, said, "Higher authorities are aware of the shortage of manpower and equipment of the fire service of the division. In order to deal with the challenges in the operational activities of the fire service, equipment and manpower have been sought for each station. Hope, the situation will see improvement.”