C T Online Desk: A fire broke out in a fishermen’s colony (jele palli) at Akmal Ali Ghat in Chittagong’s EPZ area early Sunday.
The blaze started at 12:10am from an oil shop and spread rapidly.
Three fire service units worked through the night, finally bringing the fire under control by 6am.
The fire destroyed 20 houses and 17 shops, totaling 37 structures.
Fishermen’s nets were also burned to ashes, leaving many without a livelihood.
Victims estimate losses to exceed Tk1 crore.
Abdur Razzak, deputy assistant director of the Chittagong Fire Service and Civil Defence, said: “We received the fire report at 12:10am and began efforts immediately. The fire, fueled by oil in the shops, spread rapidly, making it challenging to control.”
Further investigation will reveal the full extent of the damage, he added.
