A terrible fire broke out in Babur haat cloth market, 12 units are working to control it
A terrible fire has taken place at Shekerchar Babur Haat in Narsingdi, one of the largest wholesale cloth markets in the country. 12 units of fire brigade of Narsingdi, Madhabadi station of fire service started working to control the fire.
Eyewitnesses said that the incident happened on Sunday (October 29) around 11:30 p.m. It is said that more than half a hundred shops were burnt to ashes in the fire.
Members of the fire service said that they received information about the fire around 11:17 pm. After receiving the information, the first unit immediately reached the spot and started working to control the fire. As the entire area was a cloth market, the light flames of the fire spread around. In addition, because the alleys and roads of the market are very steep, it is difficult for the fire service vehicles to enter.
Locals said that usually this market is open for three days on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. At other times most of the markets are closed. Also those who are open also close the shop and go home as the night is late.
As the fire started in the middle of the night, the fire could not be controlled immediately. In addition, there was no provision for fire service vehicles to move freely inside the market, which is disrupting fire control. Besides, there is a small drain near the market, but it has been filled with the garbage of the market, so there was a water crisis.
Hundreds of crores worth of clothes are sold every week in Babur Hat Bazaar. There are more than 3000 small and big cloth shops in the market where all types of three-pieces, sarees, lungis, bedsits, bedcovers, towels are sold. Around 15 thousand people work in these shops and earn their living.
Shekerchar market is popularly known as Baburhat, known as the Manchester of the East. It is the largest wholesale cloth market in the country. The cloth here fulfills the demand of about 70 percent of the country's domestic cloth. Hundreds of crores worth of clothes are sold every day in this hundred-year-old wholesale cloth market.
Baburhat began to accumulate from Wednesday afternoon. Thursdays and Fridays are in full swing. All sales in the market ended on Saturday afternoon.
Thankapar, poplin cloth, voile cloth, cotton, sarees, three-pieces sold in Baburhat are produced in various areas including Narsingdi, Gazipur, Narayanganj.
Adequate security personnel are said to be on duty to prevent theft and looting in the market. The fire has not been brought under control till the last news.