Families struggle to survive after devastating Korail fire
Among the ruins, little Mehrima, just nine months old, slept on the charred floor of what had been her home, her tiny body wrapped in a thin cloth under the open night sky.
In the aftermath of the massive fire that swept through Dhaka's Korail slum yesterday, a haunting silence settled over the burnt-out blocks.
Among the ruins, little Mehrima, just nine months old, slept on the charred floor of what had been her home, her tiny body wrapped in a thin cloth under the open night sky.
Her father, Momin, fanned away mosquitoes, desperate to keep her safe, while his thoughts raced between survival and loss. "I earn very little. We have been living here in one room with my wife and child. The fire has destroyed everything. I don't even have a proper bed or mosquito net for my nine-month-old," Momin told The Business Standard.
Nearby, Jamila Begum clutched her seven-month-old daughter Zakiya, while her other children, four-year-old Zainab and two-year-old Zia Moni, sat on a borrowed bedsheet from a neighbour. "We all lived in one room. Now, even a place to sit is gone. My mother came to Dhaka to help, but we don't even have the money to return to our village with her. Yesterday, some strangers brought some khichuri for us, but we don't know where we'll get food tonight," she said.
The blaze, which broke out in the late afternoon, devoured hundreds of homes in minutes. Families who had lived in cramped rooms for years suddenly found themselves with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Entire households were forced into the open, exposed to the cold, insects, and uncertainty. Makeshift shelters arose wherever residents could find space, but the streets and lakefront quickly filled with people struggling to find safety.
Among the displaced, mothers cradled infants, trying to soothe their cries amid the confusion, while older children clung to whatever belongings could be salvaged. Firoz Ali, another resident, lost his life savings of three lakh taka in the blaze. "This was all I had left. Now I don't know how I will feed my family of four daughters and my wife," he said, despair evident in his voice.
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Firefighters battled the blaze for over five hours, but even after the flames were controlled, the damage was total. The smell of smoke lingered in the air, mingling with the acrid stench of melted plastics and burnt wood. Corrugated tin and charred bamboo scaffolding lay scattered across the streets, evidence of how quickly fire had consumed the densely packed dwellings.
As dusk fell, the call to prayer echoed from nearby mosques. Survivors gathered at Gulshan Lake, where volunteer boatmen like Mohammad Suman helped evacuate 700–800 people without charging a fare. "Life comes first," Suman said.
Under the faint glow of the moon and flickering candles, parents like Momin and Jamila braced for a long night, sheltering their children in the open. For Mehrima, Zainab, and Zakiya, the coming dawn offered no certainty—only the harsh reality of survival amid the ruins of Korail.
