16 years ago, the risky declaration, the removal of traders was stuck in the barrier
In 2007, Dhaka New Super Market (South) was declared unsafe by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). But even after 16 years, the market could not be vacated. Those concerned say that the market could not be evacuated despite the threat of collapse and fire due to the obstruction of the traders.
A terrible fire broke out in the market on Saturday (April 15) morning. The fire was brought under control around 10:30 am with the efforts of 30 units of the fire service. Hundreds of shops were burnt in the fire.
Adjacent to the north-west wall of Dhaka New Market is Dhaka New Super Market (South). The market has about 1,245 shops. The plasters of the roof and surrounding walls of the three-storey market are already falling off. There was a big crack in the pillar. So DSCC was afraid of a major accident at any time. A BUET report in 2007 declared the market vulnerable. Then DSCC took the initiative to reform. But due to the obstacles of the businessmen, it was not implemented. Then, in a separate report on October 17, 2016, BUET recommended that the market be vacated within three weeks. But the market traders still resisted.
Dhaka New Super Market trader Mozammel Haque said that DSCC spends an average of a century when it starts building a market. A task could not start or finish on time. In such a reality, the traders prevented the New Super Market from being demolished. But today's fire is suspicious. Questions are being raised as to whether someone set the fire to evict the traders or not.
Director General (DG) Brigadier General of Fire Service and Civil Defense Directorate. Main Uddin said that in 2016, the fire service declared the building as a fire hazard. Then several instructions are given to make it safe. Although some of the instructions given by the fire service have been implemented, it does not seem to have made it completely safe.
On the other hand, the incident of fire in different markets of the capital after a few days is whether it is sabotage or not, the concerned people are afraid.
Chief Executive Officer of DSCC. Mizanur Rahman said that recently there have been incidents of fire in various areas of Dhaka including Bangabazar. On April 14, a fire broke out in Ward No. 67 of Hazaribagh and DSCC. After a few days, it will be investigated whether there is any other reason behind this fire.
DSCC Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Tapas said that there are repeated fires at a specific time. So we are worried about sabotage or not. I call on all concerned agencies including intelligence agencies to look into it seriously.
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