A devastating fire has raced through densely packed buildings in a centuries-old shopping district in Bangladesh’s capital, killing at least 81 people, officials said. A devastating fire has raced through densely packed buildings in a centuries-old shopping district in Bangladesh’s capital, killing at least 81 people, officials said. The fire in Dhaka’s Chawkbazar area was mostly under control after more than 10 hours of frantic firefighting efforts. Residents of the Muslim-majority nation throng to Chawkbazar each year for traditional goods to celebrate iftar, the end of Ramadan. Firefighters and local people gather near smouldering buildings in Dhaka (AP)Another control room official, Russel Shikder, said 81 bodies had been recovered.

Source: Irish Independent February 21, 2019 05:06 UTC