Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Secretary General and former lawmaker Professor Golam Porwar has issued the following statement on 25 November 2020 expressing deep concern as fire broke out in three major slums of the capital in just two days which destroyed hundreds of houses and shops.

In last two days, fire broke out in three slums of the capital. Fire broke out at Mohakhali’s Shat tola bosti on 23 November, Biharipotti of Babor Road of Mohammadpur on 24 November afternoon and Bauniabad slum of Kalshi at midnight on the same day. Thousands of houses, shops and other establishments have destroyed in these incidents. Generally, low-income people are living in such slums. As such, the fire did not destroy their houses and shops only; it has also destroyed their dreams. The slum residents could not save their minimum properties as the fire spread rapidly. Consequently, many people instantaneously became penniless and helpless.

We have been observing with great concern that, the slums are experiencing such incidents of blazes very frequently. Immediate after the incident, the government formed a probe committee but without some exceptions, the reports of those probe committees are not made public. So, confusion remains always whether the incident is preplanned or not.

We are urging the concerned authorities to investigate such incidents properly and to take strict legal measures against the involved personnel. We are calling upon the authorities to pay due compensation and also to rehabilitate the victim slum residents.