A total of 188 people, including women and children, have died in fire incidents in Narayanganj over the past six and a half years, according to data from the Fire Service and media reports.
During the period, 3,620 fires were recorded across the district, averaging around 590 incidents annually. Authorities said explosions and fires caused by gas leaks accounted for most of the fatalities.
Investigators and fire officials blamed negligence and a lack of public awareness for the recurring incidents. Urban planners and civil society representatives have also expressed concern over the concentration of factories and industrial establishments in densely populated areas, making parts of the city highly vulnerable to fires.
According to available data, 42 people died in 594 fire incidents in 2020, while 70 deaths were recorded in 694 incidents in 2021. In 2022, eight people died in 593 fires, followed by 32 deaths in 563 incidents in 2023. Five people died in 619 fires in 2024, while 18 deaths were recorded in 479 incidents in 2025. So far in 2026, 13 people have died in 78 fire incidents.
Recent incidents
On May 13 this year, 12 officials and employees were injured in an explosion caused by a gas cylinder leak at the Jera Meghnaghat Power Plant in Sonargaon upazila. The injured were taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, where three later died.
Earlier, on May 11, four people, including a father and son, sustained burn injuries in a fire caused by a gas leak in the Lucky Bazar area of Fatullah. One of the victims, Abdul Quader, later died.
A day earlier, on May 10, five members of the same family, including children, were burned in a fire caused by a gas leak at an eight-storey building in the Giridhara area of Fatullah. All of them later died while undergoing treatment.
On March 3 last year, eight members of a family were burned in a fire caused by a gas line leak in Godnail, Siddhirganj. Four of them, including a child, later died.
Another major incident occurred on August 23 the same year, when nine members of a family, including a one-month-old child, were burned in a fire triggered by a gas pipeline leak in the Hirajheel area of Siddhirganj. Seven people died in that incident.
One of the deadliest industrial fires in the district took place on July 8, 2021, at the Hashem Food and Beverage factory in Rupganj. Three workers died after jumping from the six-storey building to escape the blaze. Firefighters battled the fire for 19 hours, and a total of 54 workers and employees were killed. Many bodies were charred beyond recognition and later identified through DNA testing.
Earlier, on September 4, 2020, a devastating explosion occurred during Isha prayers at the Baitus Salat Jame Mosque in Fatullah due to accumulated gas. Thirty-seven people suffered severe burns, and 34 later died.
Fire-prone areas
According to the Fire Service, the most fire-prone areas in Narayanganj include the Nayamati hosiery zone, the BSCIC industrial area in Fatullah’s Panchabati, and the Adamjee EPZ area in Siddhirganj.
Fire officials warned that emergency response operations become difficult in these densely populated industrial zones due to narrow roads, congested neighbourhoods, inadequate stairways, and a lack of water reservoirs in high-rise buildings and factories.
Deputy Assistant Director of Narayanganj Fire Service Abdullah Al Arefin said thousands of hosiery factories operate in cramped conditions in the Nayamati area alone.
“Many buildings are constructed without leaving enough space for emergency vehicles. In some areas, fire service vehicles cannot enter at all,” he said, adding that the issue had been raised with the district administration.
Regarding gas leak explosions, he said such incidents often occur due to carelessness, including faulty gas risers, cylinder leaks, or failure to fully shut off gas stove switches.
“Gas leakage becomes especially dangerous in closed rooms, where accumulated gas can explode within seconds if exposed to fire or sparks,” he said, advising residents to keep kitchen windows open and avoid placing gas risers beside kitchens.
Authorities stress awareness
Deputy Managing Director of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution PLC in Narayanganj, Engineer Rajib Kumar Saha, said efforts are underway to identify risky areas and repair old gas lines.
However, he said user negligence also contributes significantly to accidents.
“Many incidents occur because users do not properly close stove or cylinder valves or keep kitchens ventilated,” he said.
District President of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) Dhiman Saha Jewel said public attention increases only after major tragedies, but long-term preventive measures are often neglected.
“Many parts of Narayanganj remain highly vulnerable due to unplanned urbanization and weak enforcement of building regulations,” he said.
Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner Md Raihan Kabir said meetings had been held with the relevant authorities, and Titas Gas had been instructed to repair risky lines.
He added that Rajuk had also been asked to strengthen monitoring and take action against violations of building codes.
