'I could not save anything except for my life'

The air was dense with thick smoke. A scene ripe with charred shops, desperation and helplessness overwhelmed the senses. 

The maddening chaos was staggering with many shouting "Move! move! Move and stand somewhere else" – to make way for the fire service.   

It was Tuesday morning around 11:30 am. Thousands of people crowded in front of the blazing 2-acre large Bangabazar market. Most had teary eyes. 

And while the smoke was to blame for some, the businessmen and their employees' faces were aghast. Their welled-up eyes were mourning their burned livelihoods that turned to ashes within a matter of hours. 

One of them was Jasim from Lakshmipur, roaming in front of the gutted stores. He is the owner of store no.1509 on the ground floor of the market, one of the thousands of shops which turned into incinerated mush in the fire. 

Jasim from Laksmipur. Photo: Masum Billah

After nearly two decades of working as an employee, he set up his own store only a few months ago after taking loans from his relatives. He stockpiled "export items" like trousers, three-quarter pants, and shorts. 

"I had over Tk10 lakh worth of goods in my store. Everything has burned down," Jasim said. "By the time I reached [the scene], the market was engulfed in flames. I could not save anything except for my life." 

Losing his only source of livelihood and his dream to become a businessman from being an employee, he has no idea what he is going to do now or how he is going to repay his debts. 

Jasim is one of the thousands of businessmen who lost their livelihoods in the Tuesday morning blaze. 

"It is not yet possible to say exactly how many stores have been damaged, but we fear that around 5,000 have burned down," said Mohammad Helal Uddin, president of the Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity (shop owners' association). 

"Eid is just around the corner. Every store had stocked a lot of new products for Eid. They were expected to sell out in the next few weeks. Now, this blaze has caused damages worth at least Tk1,000 crore for sure," he added. 

Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS

First the pandemic, then inflation and now an inferno 

After months of sluggish operations during the Covid-19 pandemic with some Eids celebrated amid lockdowns, the local clothing market had been through consecutive dull business years.  It was only last year when shops finally operated in a lockdown-free Eid market. 

However, the war in Ukraine which commenced in early 2022 would eventually change everything. Inflation and threats of the recession became constant worries plaguing the market ever since and forced consumers to cut down on expenses as prices keep rising. 

The upcoming Eid market was expected to be a welcome respite for businesses.

But the massive fire – which within a matter of hours also burned down around six markets in the vicinity including Banga, Islamia, Barishal Plaza, Enajko, Mahangar and Adarsha – doused hopes of a profitable business year for good. 

A supplier with holding some fresh clothes in burned down market. Photo: Masum Billah

This blaze has not only ruined the livelihoods and prospects of the businessmen and employees of Bangabazar but also the thousands of other business people across the nation who sourced from or supplied products to the market. 

Absolute chaos on site 

Store owner Sajib stood motionless and shirtless in front of the burning market, sobbing. 

"I lost over Tk20 lakh here today. I have nothing left," Sajib said as chaos engulfed the market on fire. "I don't know what to do now," he added before firemen dispersed the crowds, once again, to bring discipline to their mission. 

Spectators also invaded the area, recording videos despite law enforcement officials' efforts to bar people without cause from entering the scene. 

Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS

Amid the crowd were some people who tested their luck in finding fresh clothes from the road. Thousands of clothing items were dumped in mud and water. 

Along with different agencies, including the army, police and fire service, rover-scout members were also working with store owners and employees hand-in-hand to help control the fire. 

Faruk was among the helpers. He used to work at store no.1165 and has been working at the Bangabazar market for four years now. His mother, back in the village, depends on his income. 

With the store burned down, Faruk said he does not know what he is going to do now. After all, this was peak business season. 

Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS

Thousands of other employees like Faruq have become jobless on this fateful Tuesday morning. 

As the blaze was somewhat under control by midday, the initial shock slightly subsided but businessmen were now left with dystopian worries. 

Ripon and Jasim, two siblings, came from Keraniganj to see their livelihoods gutted in the blaze. They have another brother and all of them had business in the Bangabazar market. 

Ripon and Jasim brothers. Photo: Masum Billah

They tried to save some products, but the fire soon engulfed their stores too and they escaped the area to save themselves. "We had three stores here; all have burned down. There was a warehouse on the upper floor —  that has burned down too. 

"We had three stores here; all have burned down. There was a warehouse on the upper floor — that burned down too. We mainly sell T-shirts. This was our peak business season, but now there is nothing left. Our stores had products worth more than Tk1 crore. Now, we do not even have a place to sit."

We mainly sell T-shirts. This was our peak business season. Now there is nothing," the brothers said. "Our stores had products worth more than Tk1 crore. Now, we don't even have a place to sit. We don't know what is happening to us."  

Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity's Helal Uddin said, "All the store owners have become helpless after the fire. If the government does not stand by them by giving compensation, there is no other way for them to survive."

"We are demanding Tk500-600 crore as compensation from the government's thok boraddo [bulk allocation] at the moment," he added.