A fire broke out in the Teknaf Burmese market of Cox’s Bazar, resulting in the destruction of 100 shops early Thursday.
The incident left several people injured while they were battling the flames. The fire was eventually brought under control on Thursday morning.
According to local sources, the fire is suspected to have originated from a shop called Al Aziz Store in Teknaf municipality on Wednesday.
It quickly spread, engulfing the surrounding area. As a result, 100 shops were completely destroyed, while two suffered partial damage.
Local residents and firefighters managed to extinguish the fire after approximately four and a half hours. During that time, some of the shop’s merchandise was looted.
Noor Hafez, a shop owner who suffered losses in the incident, lamented the destruction of his entire stock. Ha said the fire has caused him a financial loss of around Tk30 lakh, as he had recently started a new business.
At daybreak, the affected shopkeepers gathered at their charred shops, searching for any salvageable signs of their businesses.
Although the main fire at the Burmese market is now under control, black smoke still billows from the site. Children were also seen scavenging for burnt goods among the ruins of the fallen shops.
Hafizur Rahman, another shopkeeper whose establishment was ravaged by the fire, expressed his despair, saying: “I have been left destitute after the fire. The goods in my shop, worth Tk10-12 lakhs, have turned to ashes. I am now in a dire situation. Around 150 shops have been decimated by the fire, resulting in an estimated loss of Tk10-12 crore. Moreover, numerous shops have been looted.”
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Kamruzzaman said: “A hundred shops have been razed to the ground in the market fire. According to the fire department, the fire originated from electrical wires. The blaze has now been extinguished.”
Responding to inquiries, Md Elias, general secretary of the Teknaf Burmese Market, said: “One hundred shops in this market have been reduced to ashes. The estimated damage caused by the fire is likely to exceed Tk10-12 crore.”
