The raging blaze at the capital’s Badda slum on Monday made homeless hundreds of families who are now looking at a future filled with uncertainty as there has been no official promise for their rehabilitation so far.
“We have lost all our belongings. Now we have nothing. I do not know where to go with my children or how to survive. The [shanty] owner also told us that he is not willing to build shanty there [again],” one of the former residents of the slum told the Dhaka Tribune.
Nasima Akhter, standing in front of her gutted-down house with tear-filled eyes, told the Dhaka Tribune that the victims have received some assistance from the Dhaka district administration and local lawmakers; but none of it is sufficient to meet their needs.
Khodeza Begum, who had been renting one of the gutted-down shanties owned by the local ward councillor, said the fire had burnt all her belongings along with Tk35,000 of her savings.
Spells of rain throughout the day is also aggravating the sufferings of hundreds of families like those of Nasima and Khodeza who now have no option but to spend their days under open sky.
According to locals and the district administration, the one- and two-storey tin-made shanties were built illegally without the approval of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha.
Asked whether the structures were built legally, Osman Ghani, who owned many of the shanties that were burnt down, refused to comment.
Osman, also the councillor of DNCC’s Ward 21, however, told the Dhaka Tribune that he had no plans so far to rebuild shanties in the slum.
“Only the government can say about their [victims] compensation. I can only help in organising a proper relief distribution process,” he added.
Those who used to live in the shanties, meanwhile, said they have been told that there would be no slum at the site in the future.
Commenting on relief efforts, Dhaka’s Deputy Commissioner Tofazzal Hossain Miah said 450 families have been enlisted as victims of the fire and have been provided with Tk2,000 and 15kg rice. AKM Rahmat Ullah, lawmaker for the Dhaka 11 seat, has also provided victims with Tk1,000 and a saree.
The DC said around 100 families who were absent during the relief distribution could later collect their relief by contacting the local ward councillor or the district administration.
Anwarul Islam Khondoker, relief and rehabilitation officer of Dhaka district administration, said they have written to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief requesting permanent rehabilitation measures for the victims.
Meanwhile, Fire Service Director General Brig Gen Ali Ahmed Khan said they have formed a three-member committee to look into the reason behind the fire; the committee has been asked to submit a report within seven working days.
He added that primary information suggests that the fire had originated from the gas cylinder of a vendor shop and it soon spread to the shanties made of corrugated tin sheets and bamboos.
