Left out in the cold

Thirty-four families are now passing their days in severe hardship, having to live under the open sky as their homes at a slum in Narayanganj were gutted in a fire on Thursday night.

The slum is at Moslem Nagar Notun Bazar under Narayanganj Sadar Upazila.

There were 40 rooms there owned by a local named Giasuddin. Thirty-four of these were completely gutted in the fire that broke out at around 10:45pm on Thursday. Fire service doused the blaze at around 12:15am.

Many of the slum-dwellers had television set, refrigerator, cash and other valuables in their rooms. But everything has been burnt, they said.

"I along with my family members was having dinner. Suddenly, we heard our neighbours' screams. So we hurriedly exited our room," recounts Fulhori Bibi, "That was the end. That was the last we saw of our home and our belongings."

"I had Tk 25,000 in cash, a TV and a fridge. I could not save anything," she told this correspondent yesterday.

A four-year-old Rashed was looking for books that were bunt.

"The books belonged to my elder sister. All our books and clothes have been destroyed," he said.

"The fire spread so quickly that we could only save our lives. We could not take anything out of our room. Now I have no money to buy food," said Kalam Miah, a garments worker.

"Even my identity card for my workplace has been burnt. Security guards at the factory will not allow me to enter now," he added.

Contacted, Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defense in Narayanganj, said the fire originated from "agarbati" (incense sticks) at one room. Losses are roughly estimated to be around Tk 15 lakh.

Narayanganj Sadar's Upazila Nirbahi Officer Nahida Barik said they were preparing a list of the affected families, who will be provided government assistance.