Noakhali, Mar 23 (V7N) – A massive fire broke out once again in Mannan Nagar Bazar of Aojbalia Union, Noakhali Sadar Upazila, destroying 18 shops in the market. The incident occurred at around 1:15 AM on Saturday, just a year after a similar fire devastated the same location.

According to local sources, upon receiving the news, three units of Maijdi Fire Service and one unit of Subarnachar Fire Service rushed to the scene. With the help of locals, they managed to bring the fire under control by 2:45 AM, after an intense battle lasting over an hour and a half. However, by then, the flames had completely reduced 18 shops to ashes.

The affected businesses include Shahjahan's Cloth Satta Store, Azad's Tea Shop, Alauddin's Chicken Shop, Khalil's Grocery Shop, Chitang Hotel, Azad's Grocery Shop, Ganesh's Salon Shop, Horan's Hotel Shop, Saudagar's Grocery Shop, Azad Hossain's Tea and Variety Store, Bangabandhu Smriti Sangha, Dulal Bepari's Grocery Shop, Kalam's Tea Shop, Cloth Bitan, another Grocery Store, Hasem's Tea Shop, and Farooq's Chicken Shop.

Local businessman Gias Uddin Manju and other residents reported that the fire originated at Horan's Hotel, located on the west side of the main road in Dakshin Bazar, at around 1:45 AM. It then rapidly spread to surrounding shops. The exact cause of the fire is still uncertain, though preliminary suspicions point to either a stove fire from the hotel or an electrical short circuit.

Md. Farid Ahmed, Assistant Director of Noakhali Fire Service, confirmed that four firefighting units worked for nearly two hours to control the blaze. He stated that initial investigations suggest the fire started from a hotel shop, but a full assessment is ongoing to determine the total extent of the damage.

This incident has reignited concerns among local traders, as a similar fire had previously devastated the same market on March 30, 2024, during Ramadan, destroying eight shops. The back-to-back disasters have left shop owners in severe financial distress, urging local authorities to take preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future.

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