Crime Today News
A massive blaze that engulfed a six-storey building in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka has claimed the lives of at least 46 people and left dozens wounded.
The deadly fire, which started at the Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall on Bailey Road late on Thursday, is the latest in a long list of fire catastrophes in cities across the southeast Asian country in recent decades.
These fires often occur in densely populated workplaces such as busy markets or overcrowded factories. According to data published by the Bangladeshi government in November, Dhaka, one of the world’s most densely populated urban areas, sees about five fire incidents every day. The causes of these fires are typically attributed to the disregard of safety measures by both building owners and business operators.
Issues such as faulty gas cylinders, air conditioners and substandard electrical wiring persist, and continue to set houses and businesses ablaze.
Since 2013, a series of devastating building fires in cities across Bangladesh have claimed more than 1,300 lives.
Deadly summer of 2022
In June 2022, a major fire engulfed sections of an inland container depot near the southeastern port city of Chittagong. It took firefighters about four days to completely extinguish the fire, which had triggered a series of explosions.
About 50 people were killed, including 10 firefighters, and around 200 others were injured. Officials said the incident could have been caused by a container of hydrogen peroxide, which had been improperly stored.
Two months later, in August, another fire erupted in a plastics factory in Chawk Bazar, a densely populated market located south of Dhaka. The fire quickly spread to adjacent buildings, leading to the reported deaths of at least six individuals.
July 2021: Child workers die in factory fire
Women and children were among the 52 people killed in a massive fire that swept through Hashem Food Limited, a food processing company in the district of Narayanganj, south of Dhaka. Officials said the factory was built without proper authorization and lacked essential safety measures.
Worker unions reported that among the victims, 19 were children, and called for punitive action against the factory owner.
The tragedy prompted international organizations such as UNICEF to issue statements expressing concern about Bangladeshi children working in hazardous areas, where anti-child labor laws are disregarded.
Source | Powered by Yes Mom Hosting
