Imtiaz Ahmed, Narayanganj

Riding a rickshaw or auto at night brings a cool breeze, signaling the onset of winter. The dry season has arrived, but most people in the industrial city of Narayanganj remain indifferent to fire safety. A significant number of residential and commercial buildings in the city lack proper fire safety measures, leading to frequent fire incidents.

From July to October this year, Narayanganj witnessed 159 fire incidents, resulting in losses of 6.8 million Taka. However, assets worth 22.8 million Taka were saved.

July : 31 incidents caused damages of 4.9 million Taka, while 29.3 million Taka worth of assets were saved. Five people lost their lives.

August: 41 incidents caused damages of 0.8 million Taka, with 3.5 million Taka saved.

September: 40 incidents caused damages of 3.65 million Taka, with assets worth 11.85 million Taka saved.

October: 47 incidents caused damages of 2.445 million Taka, and assets worth 21.8 million Taka were saved.

Station-Specific Breakdown:

October: Narayanganj Fire Station: 6 fires, losses of 0.2 million Taka, assets saved: 1 million Taka. Hajiganj Fire Station: 5 fires, losses of 20,000 Taka, assets saved: 0.2 million Taka. Adamjee EPZ Fire Station: 6 fires, losses of 0.25 million Taka, assets saved: 10 million Taka.

Fatullah: 7 fires, losses of 0.1 million Taka, assets saved: 0.5 million Taka.

Kanchpur Bridge Modern Fire Station: 8 fires, losses of 1.525 million Taka, assets saved: 5.1 million Taka.

Bandar: 6 fires, losses of 0.45 million Taka, assets saved: 5.5 million Taka.

September:

Narayanganj Fire Station: 5 fires, losses of 1.5 million Taka, assets saved: 2 million Taka.

Hajiganj Fire Station: 4 fires, losses of 0.2 million Taka, assets saved: 0.5 million Taka.

Adamjee EPZ Fire Station: 7 fires, losses of 0.2 million Taka, assets saved: 0.8 million Taka.

August:

- Narayanganj Fire Station: 3 fires.

- Hajiganj Fire Station: 4 fires, losses of 0.5 million Taka.

- Adamjee EPZ Fire Station: 8 fires, losses of 0.1 million Taka.

July:

- Narayanganj Fire Station: 7 fires, losses of 0.35 million Taka.

- Hajiganj Fire Station: 2 fires, losses of 1.2 million Taka.

- Adamjee EPZ Fire Station: 7 fires, losses of 0.1 million Taka.

Broader Economic Impact of Arson and Violence:

From July 18 to August 5, widespread destruction occurred in Narayanganj. Despite not being reflected in fire service statistics, significant property damage worth several hundred million Taka was reported.

Key Statistics:

BKMEA (Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association)** reported losses of 12 billion Taka over six days, with unsold goods worth 10 billion Taka.

Bangladesh Hosiery Association: Narayanganj accounts for 15,000 of 20,000 hosiery units in Bangladesh, generating monthly sales of 35 billion Taka. Six days of inactivity caused 12 billion Taka in losses.

Yarn Merchants Association: Losses of 1 billion Taka were incurred due to unsold yarn.

Damage from Arson:

Over four days in July, miscreants set fire to numerous government and private institutions, burning assets including 63 vehicles, with reported losses of 2.15 billion Taka. Notable damage includes:

PBI Office: 100 million Taka. NarayanganjCity Corporation: 500 million Taka. Garment factories: 1.25 billion Taka. Transportation companies and other institutions also faced significant losses.

Law enforcement reported the arson as a premeditated act, arresting 487 individuals for their involvement. Affected institutions have submitted detailed loss reports to authorities.