Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
The traders and the shop owners of the Gulshan-1 DCC market on Wednesday vowed to foil an infuential quarter’s ‘conspiracy’ of grabbing the market place at any cost.
They said that they would stand united to protect the lands of the market from the hands of the vested groups who are allegedly involved with the fire incident that took place on Tuesday causing an estimated loss of around Tk four hundred crore.
“The devastating inferno was pre-planned. It aimed at occuping the market and to evict the traders from their business places,” the Kithchen Market’ Generale Secretary Abul Kashem told The New Nation on Wednesday.
It was obviously an act of sabotage, as appeared from available evidences found there, the business leader claimed.
The miscrentas used explosive materials earlier to set the fire to the market as the flames spread powerfully in various directions when the secury guards threw the fire extinguishing cilynders to douse the fire, he said.
“We will not cease from movement unless we can resist the conspiracy of the motivated people who are trying to occypy the lands of the market for long,” the Abul Kashem said, adding “We will remain in our business hub at any cost.” storey sold fresh produces. A large portion of it was dedicated to furniture. There were eateries and repair shops for gas cylinders. The ‘Kancha Bazar’ or kitchen market was located on the east side of the lower level.
The shops in the upper storey sold imported food items, cosmetics, jewellery, plastic products and electronics.
The fire that started around 2am Tuesday led to two separate collapses of the building’s structure.
On Wednesday, the victims crowded before the destroyed marketplace. Some were seen busy in their attempts to save goods that survived. They suspect the fire was caused by arson and urged the prime minister to take action. Fire Services chief Lt Col Mosharraf Hossain who was heading the committee formed to investigate the fire said ‘all possibilities’ will be taken into consideration. “We will find out if this is just another case of fire or an act of arson. We are not disregarding the businessmen’s allegations. We have collected evidence that we believe will tell us how the fire started.” Former home minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir have visited the ruins.
