Collapsed market continues to burn
While shopowners of the gutted DCC market lament losses, some parts of the collapsed building are still on fire as clouds of smoke continued billow from the rubble yesterday.
Firefighters drilled holes on the collapsed roof to reach crevices and completely douse the fire.
“We demanded that the mayor rehabilitate us and provide compensation for the loss and he assured that he would help,” said Sher Mohammad, chairman of the DCC Kancha Market Businessmen's Association.
The cause of the devastating fire which started around 2:00am on Tuesday is yet to be determined. Businessmen suspect it was a sabotage of some vested quarters to drive them out of the market.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Annisul Huq in a press conference in the afternoon, however, urged the businessmen to refrain from jumping to conclusions before an “impartial and transparent probe finds out the reason”.
“DNCC will be by the side of the affected businessmen,” said the mayor.
An official of DNCC said it would seek assistance of the army and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) to clear the rubble.
The shopowners, however, said they would not leave the market premises until the mayor's promises are kept.
MAYOR'S PRESS BRIEFING
There are seven risky markets of the DNCC. The buildings are dilapidated and a tragedy might occur at any moment, said the mayor at his office.
He added that the risky markets included two in Gulshan, two in Kawran Bazar and one each at Mohammadpur and Taltola.
Commenting on the collapsed market, he said the building was in such a state that “anything could have cause it to cave in.”
He also added that marketplaces and neighbourhoods of the city were frequently catching fire. “Our homes and workplaces need to be safe. Even if we have to sacrifice some short term business gains, we need to reform or abandon the places for the sake of greater gains.”
Pictures of firefighters bringing out gas cylinders from the rubble were handed out at the event.
“We have been going there every day, asking people to reduce weight on the building. We have been citing a Buet (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology) report of the building and asking them to take their goods off the first floor of the building,” he stressed.
Police formed a five-member probe body to submit a report within seven workdays.
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