Post by : Rameen Ariff

Dhaka, Bangladesh – At least 16 people have died after a devastating fire swept through a chemical and garments factory in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, officials confirmed Tuesday. The blaze, which started in the factory's warehouse, quickly spread to an adjacent multi-storey garments building, causing significant destruction and loss of life.

Tajul Islam Chowdhury, Director of the Fire Service Department, said all 16 bodies were recovered from the garments factory. He added that the victims likely suffered severe inhalation injuries due to the highly flammable chemicals stored inside the facility. Officials are still assessing the chemical warehouse, which has yet to be fully accessed due to safety risks.

Outside the factory, relatives of the victims frantically searched for their loved ones. Abdur Rahman, 19, said he lost his brother Robin in the fire. "I found one of his colleagues, who escaped by breaking a window. He saw my brother Robin inside," Rahman said. Many others held up pictures of missing family members, pleading for information on their whereabouts.

A witness, 34-year-old Tahmina Sharmin, described the terrifying scene. "I heard a loud explosion, and the area was immediately filled with flames and smoke," she said. "People were shocked and didn’t know what to do at first. I tried to help before the fire crews arrived."

Fires are a recurring hazard in Bangladesh, where safety standards in industrial facilities are often overlooked. Last year alone, more than 26,500 fires were reported across the country. In 2021, a fire at a food processing factory killed at least 52 people, including children. Bangladesh’s deadliest fire occurred in 2012 when a garment factory blaze on the outskirts of Dhaka claimed 111 lives and injured more than 200 others.

Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire, but the incident highlights ongoing safety challenges in Bangladesh’s industrial sector, particularly in factories handling chemicals and flammable materials.

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