A devastating fire gutted 31 shops at Bazaar of Agoiljhara upazila town in Barisal district on early Wednesday.
Besides, 15 more shops were damaged partly during extinguishing flame.Four units of Fire Services from Gournadi, Wazirpur and Barisal controlled the flame after 13:00 am on Thursday, said Devi Chanda, Agoiljhara upazila nirbahi officer.Munirul Islam, Agoiljhara police station officer in charge, quoting local people, said the fire instigated from electric short circuits at a readymade cloth shop of the Bazaar after 10:30 PM Tuesday. Four including Sub Inspector Raju became injured trying to extinguished the fire and later treated at local hospital, the OC Agoiljhara PS added.Dhala Mia, president of the bazaar committee, claimed at least 31 shops including stationary, cloth, readymade garments, shoe, medicine, cosmetics, restaurant, rice wholesaler, grocery gutted fully by fire damaging properties worth Tk 1.5 cores.Ainul Islam, station officer Gournadi fire service station, said at least 25 shops gutted fully causing damages more than 20 lkhs taka. Fire service saved properties worth cores of taka by operating timely drives, said Hasib Akand, Deputy Director, Fire Service and Civil Defense, Barisal station. High officials from district, upazila and police administrations visited the spot on Wednesday and distributed cash money and blankets among the affected people.Barisal Correspondent
