A fast-moving fire swept through Korail, one of Dhaka’s largest slums, on Tuesday evening, destroying hundreds of homes and leaving thousands of residents without shelter, according to local authorities.
Korail, which houses nearly 80,000 people in a dense patch of central Dhaka, is one of the city’s most crowded informal settlements and sits beside the upscale Gulshan and Banani districts. The fire erupted shortly after sunset, spreading rapidly across rows of tin-roofed shanties before firefighters could reach the scene.
Officials said heavy traffic around the neighborhood slowed the initial response. Talha Bin Zasim of the Fire Service said teams faced major delays once inside the settlement because the narrow footpaths made it impossible to bring engines close to the flames.
“We had to leave the trucks at a distance and pull long hoses through the alleys,” he explained. Crews worked for more than five hours to bring the blaze under control, struggling at times to secure enough water as they navigated the maze-like passages.
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There were no immediate reports of fatalities, though the scale of the damage was extensive. Many residents said they had lost everything they owned.
“Everything I had is gone,” said Amena Begum, a resident who stood beside the charred remnants of her home. “How will I survive now?”
Witnesses described people fleeing with whatever belongings they could grab as the flames lit up the night sky. Dense smoke blanketed the surrounding areas, including nearby high-rise apartments overlooking the slum.
Bangladesh has faced repeated fire disasters in residential neighborhoods, commercial buildings, and factories, often linked to lax oversight and enforcement. According to Reuters and BBC reporting, fires and industrial accidents have killed hundreds of people across the country in recent years, prompting criticism of safety standards and emergency preparedness.
Korail, because of its density and its reliance on makeshift wiring, has been especially vulnerable. Previous fires in the settlement have displaced thousands more than once over the past decade.
Disaster response teams and local officials were assessing the damage overnight and preparing temporary shelters for families who lost their homes. Authorities are expected to open an investigation into the cause of the blaze and evaluate long-term support needs for the displaced community.
