Korail catches fire 3rd times in a year

A massive fire broke out at Korail slum in the city last night. The fire causes huge damage in the slum. Many people became homeless. At least 17 fire fighting units brought the fire under control from Wednesday midnight to Thursday early morning.

This is not the first time Korail catches fire. In March last year, dozens of small houses were burnt when a fire broke out. At least two people were injured in the incident.

On December 4, 2016, more than five hundred shanties were destroyed in a mysterious fire incident in the slum. Many became homeless.

The slum is situated on the bank of Gulshan Lake. An estimated 40,000 people mostly from lower income group live in the slum.

Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) is the owner of this land. They have been trying to recover the land for a large project for the last couple of years.

In 2012, BTCL conducted a drive in the area as per a High Court directive. During the time, they ousted 400 houses on the first day. However, the government body could not continue the drive in face of protest of scores of slum dwellers on the second day.