A catastrophic fire tore through the densely populated Korail slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh, reducing 1,500 shanties to ashes and displacing thousands of residents. The blaze, which erupted on Tuesday evening, raged for 16 hours before being extinguished on Wednesday, according to Rashed Bin Khalid, a duty officer at the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported. Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, the fire service director, confirmed the extensive damage, emphasizing the plight of the now-homeless families. The Korail slum, home to approximately 60,000 families—many of whom are climate refugees—spans over 160 acres and is nestled between Dhaka’s affluent Gulshan and Banani neighborhoods. The fire, which produced thick smoke and engulfed the area overnight, left residents scrambling to salvage their belongings from the debris. Firefighters faced significant challenges in accessing the site due to the slum’s narrow alleys. Dhaka, a city of 10.2 million people, is riddled with slums where rural migrants, driven by poverty and climate disasters, seek refuge, often working in low-paying jobs such as rickshaw driving, housekeeping, and cleaning.
A devastating fire destroys a crowded slum and leaves thousands homeless in Bangladesh capital
