In the wake of a devastating fire that erupted early Thursday morning, shopkeepers at the Mohammadpur Krishi Market find themselves grappling with the aftermath, desperately searching for any remnants of their once-thriving businesses.
Haider, a distraught trader who lost his livelihood in the inferno, said: "All my dreams are over... I patiently put up with many insults and injuries, but the fire ended everything. All my strength and dreams burned."
Haider operated a burqa shop in Mohammadpur C Block, and his relatives joined him in combing through the charred remains of his shop. He had recently stocked his store with a collection of new burqas worth approximately Tk150,000.
Farzana, a relative of Haider, shared her shock upon hearing the news of the fire. "We had nothing we could do. By the time I arrived, everything had already been burnt. Haider told me that it was all over for him. I came to see if anything in the shop could be salvaged," she said.
Upon visiting the scene of the fire at Krishi Market, it was found that Blocks B and A had been completely consumed by the flames. Although fire service personnel reported that the blaze had been extinguished, black smoke still billowed from within the ruins.
While Block A of the market was spared from the fire itself, the intense heat had spoiled vegetables, potatoes, onions, and other raw goods, rendering them unsellable, according to traders.
Ahmed, a businessman who relied on his shop as his sole source of income, arrived with his wife and son to assess the damage. His son lamented: "Our shop looks fine from the outside, but when we went inside, we saw that most of the products had been destroyed."
In front of Block C, crowds from different areas gathered to witness the aftermath of the devastating blaze. Many brought handbags to salvage undamaged products from the burnt debris, and a crowd was seen around the remnants of the jewellery shops.
Booths were set up in front of the market to collect information from affected shop owners and employees. They were collecting data separately for the Dhaka District Administration and Dhaka North City Corporation, including shop contracts, trade licences, national identity cards, and shop numbers.
Affected shop owners are being documented alongside their employees, recording their shop numbers, national identity cards, and the shop owner's signature. However, it remains uncertain when and how much compensation will be provided to those affected.
Despite the city corporation permitting 343 markets within the agricultural market, Sohan, an employee of Rosa Fashion, revealed that each row typically contained 140-150 shops, including temporary ones. In total, over 600 shops occupied the area, with approximately 300 of them falling victim to the fire. Each store employed at least three individuals, leaving many questioning their future.
Fire Service Media Cell Officer Shahjahan Sikder confirmed that the fire at Mohammadpur Krishi Market had been successfully extinguished at 7:30am. He also reported that there were no casualties resulting from the blaze.
As for the cause of the fire, Sikder said it remains unknown whether it was sparked by an electrical short circuit. An official investigation will determine the actual cause.
In response to the tragic incident, a five-member committee has been formed under the leadership of Director (Operation and Maintenance) Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury. The committee is expected to submit its report within 15 working days.
