‘Fire destroyed the small business that fed my family’

"I have lost everything," said an inconsolable Matin Khan who had a small shop in the Mohammadpur Krishi Market that was ravaged in a devastating fire early this morning.

"The fire destroyed the small business that fed my family," lamented vegetable seller Matin as he rummaged through the ruins.

"My family members and I work hard round the clock and this shop was my only source of income," Matin told this correspondent.

A massive fire ripped through the Mohammadpur Krishi Market early today, leaving traders stunned as their livelihoods were reduced to ashes.

DNCC CEO Selim Reza said a total of 217 allotted shops of the market were damaged.

The fire broke out at 3:43am and quickly engulfed the entire row of shops which mainly sell vegetables, spices, groceries, and garments.

Furthermore, due to lack of fire safety equipment, shops being cramped together and filled with highly flammable materials, the blaze spread quickly and shopkeepers could not do much to put it out.

The blaze became an unstoppable wall of flames devouring everything in its path by 4:00am, when many traders reached the market after waking up to frantic calls, they said.

Panicked traders watched helplessly as their hopes and dreams went up in smoke.

"Every day at this time we used to be busy selling goods to customers. But fate did not give that opportunity today. I came here at 4:00am in the morning and saw my shop on fire," sobbed Delowar Hossain, a vegetable seller, this morning.

Moreover, many had stocked up fresh supplies for the busy weekend trading tomorrow.

"I rushed here after getting a call but could not enter the market as the fire was too intense. Within minutes, my shop and goods were completely gutted," said a weeping Manir Hossain, owner of Manir Shoes.

Abu Saeed, who owned a clothes shops, said his entire stock of products was destroyed.

The congested conditions helped the fire spread rapidly.

"There was no equipment to extinguish the fire inside or around the shops. No water bodies nearby either," Saeed added.

Spice shop owner Kader Hossain said, "Around 5:00 am everything in my shop was reduced to ashes. Due to the small market gate, the fire service cars could not come near my shop."

Abu Saeed said, "I had packed all the clothes last night to sell today morning. In the morning I came and saw everything had burnt down."