Fire tragedy of Chawkbazar 2022

Chawkbazar is an area prone to fire accidents. Yet, the deadly chemical warehouses, the illegal plastic factories and a lot of tiny and risky recycling workshops run their operations under the nose of the authorities. But still necessary steps were not taken to move out those structures from Old Dhaka.

A deadly fire broke out at a polythene factory in Old Dhaka's Chowk Bazar area on 15 August, 2022 around noon. At least 10 units of fire and civil defence members tried to douse the fire. And it took almost two hours to bring the fire under control.

The first two floors of the building house were a plastic factory while the third floor was the warehouse for plastic toys. Six bodies were recovered by fire officials who were employees of a restaurant on the ground floor.

A worker found sitting helpless at the fire gutted area

They were sleeping in the break room after having worked all night. 

Local people and members of fire service and civil defense trying to help the front line fire fighter by providing the water supply

Only one person has been identified. Because of the nature of their injuries the other five cannot be recognised, even by their own families.

I have seen the frightened face of the restless labour, the tiring fire fighter team member desperately working to douse the fire. The people waiting to see their relatives who were missing the firing. And it was impossible to douse the fire without the help of the local people.  

Firefighter along with the local people trying to douse the fire