C T Online Desk: Traders in the gutted New Super Market (south) allegedly said of widespread looting of products and cash during the fire that ravaged their clothing stores bringing about an estimated loss of over Tk 100 crore.
Many shops were immune to the flame, but were later found broken and ‘robbed’ of clothing items, according to businesses.
‘I found my shop’s lock broken and shutter open. A Tk 2.23 lakh in cash and men’s wear worth Tk 3.5 lakh were looted,’ said Shariful Islam Jewel, owner RJB Style, which sold shirts on the second floor of the market.
Another shop owner Ashik Ahmed echoed the same as Shariful.
‘My shop on the second floor was gutted, and kids’ wear worth nearly Tk 2 lakh were robbed of my another shop on the first floor,’ said the trader.
The Fire Service and Civil Defence, however, said that it served notices ten times to the traders, terming the New Super Market (south) highly risky in 2016.
The authorities attributed whimsical changes in the market’s original design to be the cause of the flame.
A day after the fire at New Super Market, all nearby shopping centres, including New Market, Chandrima and Gausia, resumed trading on Sunday.
The victim traders in the three-storey market went there only to find ashes, water-soaked clothes and widespread looting of products and broken cash boxes.
The fire broke out at New Super Market, adjacent to the New Market, at 5:40am on Saturday – 11 days after a similar fire burnt over 5,000 shops in Bangabazar Shopping Complex and adjacent markets.
A total of 31 firefighting units and teams, including from the Bangladesh Army, the Navy and the Air Force, brought the flame under control after vigorous efforts for several hours.
Traders said that shops on the second floor were mostly burnt and clothing items and other products in other floors were damaged by smoke, heat and water.
Shopkeepers were also seen cleaning their shops on Sunday.
Nazrul Islam, owner of a shop namely Young Choice on the second floor of New Super Market, said that he suffered a loss of Tk 40 lakh as his entire shop went up in flames.
The victims demanded quick compensation and resumption of business before the Eid-ul-Fitr.
They, however, blamed the Dhaka South City Corporation’s footbridge demolition effort for the fire during this peak season of business.
According to the Fire Service officials, they found anomalies and gross violation of fire safety in the market.
Briefing the media at Fire Service headquarters, Fire Service director for operations Lieutenant Colonel Tajul Islam said that they identified the market as highly risky earlier in 2016 and served notices 10 times to the traders.
Fire Service deputy director Dinomoni Sharma said that there were not proper ventilations as most of them were closed due to abrupt changes to the market design.
Chaotic electric wires, banners portraying candidates for shop owners’ association election and advertisements for shops, littering polythene and piles of clothes between narrow passages, insufficient exit points and poor water reservoir helped the flame spread quickly, he pointed out.
The victim traders in New Market area, meanwhile, started opening their shops since 10:00am as businesses in the area were shut on Saturday after the fire broke out.
President of Bangladesh Shop Owners Association Helal Uddin said that all markets, except for the New Super Market, resumed operations.
New Market, Chandrima, Gausia, Dhanmondi Hawkers Market, Nehar Bhaban, Globe, Badruddoja, Nur Mansion, Ismail Mansion, Subastu, Eastern Mallika are among the shopping malls that were closed due to the fire.
New Super Market shop owner association’s ad hoc committee convener, Maruf Hossain, also a former president of the association, said that they started listing the victim traders and their losses.
‘There were over 400 shops on the second floor and most were burnt. Some shops on the first and ground floors were also damaged by fire,’ Maruf said.
‘We have already listed some 300 shops gutted, and will add more so.’
The market had over 1,200 shops.
The traders want quick resumption of their business during this peak season.
‘We are hopeful to resume our business on a limited scale today as we have already got clearance from the Fire Service. We will apply to the Dhaka Power Distribution Company for power connection,’ said Maruf.
About the market dubbed risky by the Fire Service and whimsical changes to the market design, the business leader said that changes were made, but the Dhaka south city authority knew about it.
New Market police station officer-in-charge Shafiqul Gani stated that they did not receive any complaints of looting or stealing of products and cash.
The DSCC formed a nine-member committee to investigate the causes of New Super Market fire, list victim traders and assess their losses.
The committee was asked to submit report within three days.
