Govt making mockery of Bangabazar fire victims: Mirza Abbas

BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas on Wednesday said the government is making a mockery of the victims of the terrible fire in Bangabazar by giving them only Tk15,000 each as financial assistance. 

"It is not possible to make up for the loss the traders are facing due to the terrible fire in Bangabazar. Each of them has lost more than lakh taka. But the government has announced to pay Tk15,000 to the victims. Through this, the government is making fun of the victims," he told reporters after visiting Bangabazar on Wednesday afternoon.

"Who will get Tk15,000 from the government? A store has employees, an owner and the owner's family. Tk15,000 is not sufficient. The amount should be increased. All owners and employees should get assistance."

Abbas also said, "We have visited the site. It is an accident and traders have been affected by this. They are not able to recover this loss. We will try to cooperate with traders."

Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP convener Abdus Salam, Member Secretary Rafiqul Alam Majnu and Dhaka South City Corporation BNP mayoral candidate Engineer Ishraq Hossain were also present at the time.

Ishraq Hossain said, "The government is for the people. The state is governed by the taxes of the people. And the government has a moral responsibility to side with the people at times of crisis." 

"Eid is ahead and the compensation that the government is talking about ahead of this Eid is a mockery of the victims," he added.