A major fire destroyed goods stored at 26 textile waste warehouses in Bilashnagar, Fatullah, in Narayanganj district, on Sunday night. The fire broke out at around 2am on Monday in Fatullah, under Narayanganj Sadar upazila. No casualties were reported, but the incident caused substantial losses for local traders.
According to the Fire Service and eyewitnesses, the fire originated at a textile waste warehouse in the Bilashnagar area. It quickly spread to neighbouring warehouses, engulfing the stored materials before the situation could be brought under control.
Textile waste, including discarded fabrics from garment factories, was stored in the affected warehouses. The presence of combustible materials may have contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.
After receiving the report, seven firefighting units from the Shibu Market, Narayanganj and Hajiganj fire stations rushed to the scene and began extinguishing the fire. Firefighters worked for around one and a half hours before bringing the blaze under control at approximately 3.30am.
Despite their efforts, goods stored in all 26 warehouses were destroyed. The fire caused significant damage to the traders who relied on these warehouses to store textile waste and other materials.
Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of the Narayanganj Fire Service, said the preliminary assessment suggested that an electrical short circuit might have triggered the fire. However, the exact cause has yet to be confirmed.
He added that the authorities were assessing the extent of the damage. An official estimate of the financial losses had not been finalised at the time of reporting.
Imran Hossain, the owner of several of the affected warehouses, told journalists that the fire broke out suddenly in one warehouse during the night before spreading to the others. He said the stored goods in the warehouses had been completely destroyed.
According to Imran, the total financial loss could exceed Tk 10 million. However, this figure represents his estimate, and the final amount is yet to be determined by the relevant authorities.
The incident has dealt a serious blow to textile waste traders in the Bilashnagar area. The destruction of goods across 26 warehouses could affect their immediate business operations, although the full economic impact remains unclear.
The fire service’s ongoing assessment is expected to provide a clearer picture of the damage. Authorities will also need to establish the precise cause of the blaze to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
