A devastating fire broke out at Shewrapara kitchen market in Dhaka early Friday, reducing at least 61 shops to ashes, according to the fire service and civil defence.
Fire service officials estimated the losses at approximately Tk 50 lakh.
Many shop owners had stocked extra goods in anticipation of increased sales on Friday and Saturday ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.
The fire, reported at about 2:42am, was fully extinguished by eight firefighting units by 5:50am, said Mohammad Jibon Mia, an official at the FSCD control room.
The blaze destroyed 51 kitchen shops, selling vegetables, fish, and meat, along with eight grocery stores, a Bata showroom, and an electric shop.
The fire originated from an electrical short-circuit at a shop near Shewrapara Metro Station on Begum Rokeya Sarani, he said, adding that no casualties were reported in the fire.
