Helping in need: Ctg people show the way 

With the passage of time on the dreadful night, one ambulance after another was coming to the emergency department of the Chattogram Medical College Hospital carrying the wounded and dead.

At the critical moment, some young men were seen coming forward to the hospital's burn unit, some joining long queues in front of the blood bank room and many serving the patients at different wards.

Learning about the accident on social media, thousands of Chattogram people from all walks of life – mostly students and social and political activists –  landed their hands to the victims of the deadly blaze at BM Container depot. They were unknown to each other but acted like a family that night.

Observing the situation deteriorating with the roll of time, Chattogram health authorities at midnight called all the doctors and nurses of the city to offer their service to the explosion victims.

"In such a disastrous situation, we urged doctors to stand by the burnt patients and they responded immediately. People from all walks of life also volunteered," said Chattogram Civil Surgeon Mohammad Elias Hossain.

A severely injured victim of the fire incident that spread at BM Container Depot in Chattogram’s Sitakunda on Saturday night is taken to hospital by relatives and volunteers. Photo: TBS

As of Sunday night, at least 49 people were killed and more than 200, including cops and fire service officials, injured after the fire broke out at BM Container depot in Chattogram's Sitakunda. The explosions that began on Saturday night reportedly shattered the windows of several buildings nearby and were felt from areas as far as 4 kilometres away.

Most of the wounded patients were in dire need of blood, especially the rare-group blood, but the Chattogram Medical College Hospital had little in stock. The volunteers met the need by donating their blood. The hospital authorities were hanging placards reading blood groups in need time after time and interested donors responded.

They not only helped the victims with blood but also with clothes, drinking water, medicines and financial aid.

In the early hours of Sunday, when the majority of the medicine stores were closed, the crisis of medicine appeared acute. A pharmacy opposite to the hospital, called Hasan Pharmacy, reopened then and distributed medicine free of cost.  

A group of students from Chittagong University came to the hospital from their campus – over 20 kilometres away from the city. The university authorities helped them by providing transport service.

Apart from individuals, volunteer organisations including Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Brac, Mahamrityunjay Foundation, Rainbow Foundation, Bidyanondo Foundation, Gausia Committee, and political organisations such as Chhatra League, Chhatra Dal, Islami Chhatra Andolan, and Jubo League came forward to serve the victims.

"We started preparation immediately after the fire incident was reported. We helped the victims with our full capacity," said Sohel Sikder, founder of the Rainbow Foundation.

A volunteer holding a placard requests everyone to donate blood for hundreds of victims who got injured in a massive fire incident at BM Container Depot. Photo: TBS

Many came to us with donations and we worked as a bridge between donors and victims, he told TBS.

Ershad Qutubi, a member of the Gausia Committee's volunteer team, told The Business Standard that their 1,000 members were engaged in various humanitarian work, including rescue operations at the spot and transporting patients to hospitals.

In addition, many rickshaw and autorickshaw drivers help hospital-bound people by taking them free of charge. "The hospital was full of people. I did not take fares from many.  Let's save people first. Money will come one time," Rickshaw driver Majnu Mia said.