Dhaka, Bangladesh

Over 1,000 shops were gutted in a fire at the New Supermarket in Dhaka, Bangladesh early on Saturday. Many traders are in despair as they lost everything they owned in the massive blaze, the cause of which is still not ascertained.   

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Firefighters battled the blaze for many hours and entered the building through the roof in an effort to limit the fire's damage. Some firefighters fell sick due to smoke inhalation.

Personnel from the police, Border Guard Bangladesh, the fire service, the Rapid Action Battalion, the army, the air force, and the water-carrying vehicles, joined hands to extinguish the blaze. 

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The fire started on the market's second floor, according to director general of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Brig Gen Md Main Uddin. The market's second and third levels sustained the heaviest damage.

Desperate traders were seen putting their lives in danger to protect their possessions. Traders along with their staffers hurriedly attempted to save whatever things they could from their stores without wearing any form of safety equipment.

Shop owners and employees were assisted in salvaging their belongings by firefighters and representatives of other law enforcement authorities.

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A shop owner said there were more than 1,000 shops, mostly clothing stores, in the South Building of the market, and there are about 500 shops on the first and second floors.

Some vendors did succeed in getting their shop items out of the market. 

"It was 6:30am when I came to know that there was a fire in the market. It was impossible for me to shift so many goods alone. I do not even know the people who were helping me get my belongings out. Without them, it would have been impossible to save my belongings,” said Asif, a trader with shop on the first floor.

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“My shop is on the ground floor. There is no fire there, but due to the heat, it was not possible to stay there for long. Moreover, it was not possible to go there due to the accumulation of hot water on the ground floor,” he added.

“My shop, my goods, my livelihood – all gone,” inconsolable Abdul Malek, another owner at the New Supermarket said, “What do I do now?” he had just stocked up for the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr sales which had already started off quite well.

Meanwhile, in order to determine whether there was any conspiracy behind the blaze to sow discord prior to the elections that are scheduled for early next year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered a comprehensive probe.

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