Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator and freedom fighter Md Abdus Salam visited the fire-hit Choto Katra area of Chawkbazar in Old Dhaka at 10:30pm on Monday.
During the visit, he inspected the affected area, spoke with business owners and local residents, and expressed sympathy for those affected. He later briefed the media and answered questions.
Asked about the cause of the fire, Abdus Salam said the exact cause would be determined through an investigation. Fire Service officials were conducting investigations and related operations, and details would be disclosed after the inquiry was completed.
He said preliminary information suggested that the fire had originated at a bag-manufacturing factory surrounded by ready-made garment shops and factories. The Fire Service had brought the blaze under control, he added.
He also urged people to avoid crowding the site and allow firefighters to carry out their work without obstruction.
Chemical licensing halted in Old Dhaka
Referring to recurring fires in Chawkbazar, the DSCC administrator said the city corporation had stopped issuing licences for chemical businesses in Old Dhaka, resulting in a significant decline in major chemical-related fires compared with the past.
On water shortages during firefighting, he said Old Dhaka’s inadequate infrastructure had developed over many years and was not the responsibility of the current administration alone. However, the administration was working to address the problems.
Since taking office, the administration had undertaken initiatives to preserve and renovate existing ponds in Old Dhaka, alongside comprehensive renovation of the area’s drainage system, he said.
Abdus Salam stressed the need to ensure fire safety in markets and residential buildings, saying firefighting equipment was essential to protecting lives and property.
“Had proper safety measures been implemented in the surrounding markets and buildings, the extent of the damage would have been significantly less,” he said.
He added that the city corporation would take necessary measures to address the needs of those who had suffered losses in the fire.
Calls for keeping roads clear
The DSCC administrator also stressed the importance of keeping roads and footpaths free from encroachment to ensure emergency vehicles could reach fire sites quickly.
“If the roads in Chawkbazar had been clear of obstructions, the Fire Service vehicles could have reached the scene much faster,” he said.
He urged the media to help raise public awareness about illegal roadside shops and the need to keep roads and footpaths clear for pedestrians and emergency services.
Fire brought under control after 12 hours
The fire broke out at a shop in Manjur Khan Plaza in Chawkbazar on Monday afternoon and was brought under control at 5:20am on Tuesday after around 12 hours of firefighting.
Talha Bin Jashim, an official of the Fire Service’s media wing, confirmed the information.
According to Fire Service sources, they received a report of a fire on the sixth floor of Manjur Khan Plaza at 5:04pm on Monday. Firefighters arrived at 5:22pm and began operations with three units. The number of units was gradually increased to 10 as the operation continued.
