Fire at Hasanganj Bazar in Sundarganj, three traders lose about Tk 33 lakh
Photo: Collected
A devastating fire has reduced to ashes the shops and godown goods of three traders in Sundarganj, Gaibandha. The affected traders claim the loss amounts to about Tk 33 lakh. The fire broke out at midnight on Saturday (31 October) at Hasanganj Bazar in the upazila’s Bamandanga union.
On receiving the news, two units of the Sundarganj and Pirgachha fire services brought the fire under control after about an hour’s effort. No casualties were reported.
Eyewitnesses and locals said the market’s night guard first spotted the fire late on Saturday night. He alerted people nearby and also informed the fire service. Locals also lent a hand in putting out the fire. Meanwhile, a unit of the Sundarganj fire service arrived and started work. Because of the intensity of the fire, another unit from the Pirgachha fire service joined later.
According to locals, the fire started at the grocery shop of trader Mizanur Rahman in the market. Within moments it spread to his shop and two godowns. The fire then caught two adjacent shops: the timber shop of his brother Ershad Mia and the hardware shop of Hafizur Rahman. All the goods in the shops and godowns were burnt to ashes.
By the affected traders’ estimate, goods worth about Tk 25 lakh were burnt in the grocery shop and two godowns of Mizanur Rahman of Deodoba village. The loss at his brother Ershad Mia’s timber shop is about Tk 1 lakh. Hafizur Rahman of the same village suffered a loss of about Tk 7 lakh at his hardware shop. The traders claim the total loss for the three comes to about Tk 33 lakh.
Having lost their long-built capital and stocked goods, these traders have fallen into financial crisis. They are now worried about how they will start their businesses afresh. The victims have sought help from the authorities concerned to overcome the loss.
Asaduzzaman, acting station officer of the Sundarganj fire service, said a unit rushed to the spot and started work as soon as it received news of the fire at Hasanganj Bazar. Considering the intensity of the fire, another unit from the Pirgachha fire service joined. The fire was brought under control after about an hour’s effort by the two units; no one was hurt. He suspects the fire may have started from an electrical short circuit.
By the numbers
Citing fire service data, The Daily Star Bangla reported on 10 February 2026 that 27,059 fires occurred across the country in 2025, an average of about 75 a day; at least 85 people died in these incidents.
According to the same report, electrical faults were behind 34.71 per cent of fires in 2025, the top cause.
Sources
Original report: Bangladesh Pratidin
Background sources: The Daily Star Bangla, 10 February 2026
