Over 200 shops burnt down in Mohammadpur Krishi Market fire
Staff Reporter :
A massive fire, which broke out at Mohammadpur Krishi Market in the city early Thursday, was brought under control after nearly six hours.
Shahjahan Sikder, Deputy Assistant Director of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters media cell, confirmed the matter to the media saying that the fire broke out around 4 am and was brought under control at 9:25am.
A total of 17 fire service units brought the fire under control. Apart from the fire service, army, navy and air force also took part in firefighting operation.
The affected businessmen claimed that around five hundred shops of the market were gutted.
However, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) said that about 217 shops were gutted in a fire that broke out at Dhaka’s Mohammadpur Krishi Market on Thursday.
Selim Raza, Chief Executive Officer of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), told it to the media on Thursday afternoon.
He said, “We allocated space for 317 shops in the market but among these, 217 were damaged by the fire.”
“We have prepared a list of affected shop owners and we will assist them,” he added.
After the tragic incident, several hundred traders at destroyed market were lamenting losing goods worth several crores of Taka in the massive fire of Thursday.
Thursday was the weekly holiday for the market and all traders went to their respective homes closing their shops last night.
After learning about the fire, the traders started thronging the market — only to see their shops and goods burned.
A victim trader of the market said, “I have two shops in the market. Of these, one is rented while the other is my own.
I reached the spot early this morning but I couldn’t do anything. My shops have just turned into ashes.”
Mushfiqur Rahman Liton, office assistant of the market’s new raw market owners association, said that the fire in the Mohammadpur Krishi market started from the Haque bakery at the entrance of the raw market.
In this regard, Fire Service headquarters director (operation and maintenance) Lt Col Md Tajul Islam said there was no fire safety and no primary firefighting system at Mohammadpur Krishi Market.
He made the remark while replying to a query from reporters after inspecting the spot on Thursday (September 14) noon.
Tajul Islam said, “Being informed about the fire, we arrived at the spot within nine minutes. We have been working to extinguish the fire since 3:52am and able to douse the blaze at 9:25am.
Eight firefighting units first rushed to the spot and started working to douse the fire. Later, nine other units also joined them.
Apart from the fire service, army, navy and air force also took part in firefighting operation.
