13 shops were gutted in a fire at Balibazar under Thanchi upazila of Bandarban district early on Sunday.
The fire broke out around 1:30am at a tea stall in the market and soon engulfed adjacent shops.
Shop owners said most of the establishments were closed when the fire started. As a result, no one was able to prevent it from spreading. The estimated loss is over Tk1 crore.
Station Leader of Thanchi Fire Service Piar Muhammad said: “The fire broke out around 1:30am, but we received the news around 2am. However, with the help of 38 BGB members and locals, the blaze was brought under control quickly.”
The affected traders have sought assistance from the administration, demanding early rehabilitation and compensation.
