Bangabazar traders trying to rise from the ashes
They are selling clothes from makeshift shops set up on streets, sidewalks
The traders of Bangabazar market, which was engulfed by a massive fire on Tuesday, are trying to keep their business afloat by setting up temporary shops on the sidewalks and streets adjacent to the burned-up market.
Since Saturday morning, hundreds of makeshift shops have been erected on the south side of the once-popular market.
Traders brought clothes, some of which were salvaged from the fire and some bought on credit, to these shops hoping to recover some of the losses they incurred in the fire, as Eid-ul-Fitr, a peak sale season, approaches.
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Apart from this, some shops in the surrounding markets including Banga Islamia Super Market, Barisal Plaza, Mahanagar Complex, Annexco Tower, and Banga Homeo Market have also partially opened. These markets were closed following the fire incident.
Firefighters were able to fully douse the blaze on Friday morning, 72 hours after it broke out at the Bangabazar market. The authorities started clearing the debris on Friday but could not finish the job by Saturday.
Zahirul Islam, the acting general secretary of the Bangabazar Complex Owners' Association, told The Business Standard (TBS), "We removed a lot of ruins and debris in two days. Our plan was to accommodate the traders with temporary shops here on Saturday, but the burnt tin and iron parts are still very hot and difficult to remove. About 150 workers are working day and night to clean up the place."
"If we can clean the place by Sunday morning, arrangements will be made for traders to set up temporary shops here," he added.
Visiting the area on Saturday morning, affected traders were seen bringing clothes to their temporary street shops for sale, although crowds gathered around these shops were small in size.
Ismail Hossain, a trader who lost about Tk18 lakh worth of merchandise in the fire, told TBS, "After the fire broke out, I rushed to my shop and managed to salvage goods worth about Tk1 lakh. I brought those clothes to my makeshift shop today. I was forced to set up shop on the sidewalk to make some money before Eid."
Another trader Rahim, two of whose shops were burnt down, told TBS that his goods, worth about Tk15 lakh, were gutted in the fire. "I managed to move some stuff. I sat on the pavement today with those products, but the sales were not so good."
Milan Hossain, another Bangabazar trader sitting on the road, said his three shops along with a huge number of goods were gutted in the fire.
"I had an investment of about Tk1 crore in these shops. Everything I had was burnt to ashes. Now I am sitting on the street with goods worth Tk70,000. I did not take anyone's permission to sit here," he added.
"Nothing could be saved from the fire. I bought some new goods worth Tk30,000 on credit and sat on the footpath. The sales, however, were poor as not many buyers know about the shop," said another trader named Aminul Islam, demanding to clear the main area of the Bangabazar market and make it possible for traders to set up shops there.
Collective support for traders
A bank account has been opened with the IFIC Bank to collect funds for the affected traders. Anyone can send financial aid from the country and abroad to this account: 0200094066031.
In a press conference in Bangabazar on Saturday morning, Helal Uddin, president of the Bangabazar Shop Owners' Association, said the money deposited in this account will be conveyed to Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman and Dhaka South Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh.
"About 5,000 shops were gutted in the fire, causing damage of about Tk1,000 crore. Thousands of small traders and employees fell into a crisis overnight," Helal said.
Stating that a list of the affected traders is being prepared, he said, "The list and estimated damage will be sent to them [Salman and Taposh]. They will then distribute the deposited money."
Once the debris and ruins are removed, Helal Uddin said, the work of setting up temporary shops will start in the marketplace.
