Govt behind fire incidents in markets: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday alleged that the government itself is carrying out the fire incidents in different markets to mislead people.

"You (govt) have failed (to ensure safety to public life and property) as you don’t monitor anything. There are fires everywhere every day. You are behind this fire,” he said.

Speaking at a demonstration programme, the BNP leader said the government is trying to divert people’s attention from the people’s demand for lowering the prices of daily essentials, fertiliser, and the demand for credible election and the restoration of voting rights. “That’s why you (govt) are carrying out the fire incidents in different markets.”

Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club to protest against the ‘unusual’ increase in the price of fertilisers.

About the fire in New Super Market, Fakhrul said the government is trying to involve BNP in the fire to shift the blame onto the opposition party.

Fakhrul said the affected traders of the New Super Market themselves told the media that some people wearing the uniform of Dhaka South City Corporation were demolishing the foot-over bridge in front of the market around 5:30am. “The traders said they saw for themselves that fire broke out from the electricity line being used by the City Corporation employees during the demolition work of the bridge.”

He also the employees of the city corporation fled the scene after being failed to control the fire that spread to the market. “I am not saying this because it is the words of market traders. The person in charge of the City Corporation now belongs to the Awami League. So the Awami League and this government are completely responsible for the incident.”

Quoting experts, Fakhrul said the incidents of fire are growing due to environmental hazards and wrong policies. “This government is allowing construction of buildings everywhere and turning any building into markets anywhere.’

He said the ruling party ‘cadres’ set up illegal shops in markets by taking extortion money, making the markets unsuitable for people to move.

The BNP leader questioned who permitted to set up hundreds of shops on the second floor of the New Market where there is no fire extinguishing system. “The shops were set up by bribing the Awai League leaders there.”

A massive fire broke out at Dhaka’s New Super Market --next to New Market-- around 5:40 am on Saturday and it gutted over 1,000 shops.