Is This the Season of Fire?

Energy Tribune Exclusive

When flames tore through Dhaka’s Korail slum this week—displacing hundreds in one of the capital’s largest informal settlements—the scene felt painfully familiar. For hours, firefighters pushed through suffocating alleys squeezed between affluent Gulshan and Banani, battling a blaze that raced through tightly packed tin and bamboo homes.

The incident marks yet another chapter in what many are calling Bangladesh’s 2025 “season of fire”. From slums and factories to the nation’s largest airport cargo complex, fires have exposed deep structural and systemic vulnerabilities in urban Bangladesh.

Fire in Korail Slum brought under control after five hours

A Year of Smoke and Sirens

February: Slum & factory fires ignite the year

A sandal recycling plant in Shyampur caught fire before dawn. Seven fire units battled for two hours to prevent it from engulfing nearby structures.

Days later, the first major fire of the year hit Korail, destroying 61 homes despite the rapid deployment of 10 firefighting units.

Old Dhaka’s narrow lanes continue to burn

Another fire in Islambagh, Lalbagh raised concerns about ageing buildings, illegal construction, and densely stacked neighbourhoods turning into lethal chimney traps.

October: A deadly industrial disaster

On 14 October, a fire at a textile factory and adjoining chemical warehouse in Mirpur killed at least 16 people. Investigators later found there was no effective fire safety plan.

Two buildings in Mirpur caught fire, killing 16

Airport fire disrupts critical supply chains

Just four days later, on 18 October, a massive fire ripped through the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport cargo complex, halting exports and delaying flights for hours.

Flights halted due to fire in the cargo area at Dhaka airport

November: Korail burns again

A second blaze in late November left 1,500 shanties destroyed and thousands homeless—firefighters again hindered by congested roads and labyrinthine lanes.

Fire Breaks Out in Dhaka’s Korail Slum

What’s Behind the Fires?

1. Hazardous electrics & faulty wiring

Slums depend heavily on illegal, makeshift electrical connections

Overloaded cables spark fires in overcrowded settlements

2. Cigarettes, gas stoves & LPG cylinders

Substandard LPG cylinders are widely used

Poor ventilation and unsafe handling amplify the risk

3. Industrial negligence

Unsafe chemical storage

Blocked exits and illegal structures

Factories lacking proper fire safety plans

4. Unplanned expansion & deep congestion

Slums like Korail house tens of thousands in tightly packed clusters

Fire trucks often cannot enter the inner lanes

No firebreaks, no emergency exits

5. Weak enforcement of regulations

Bangladesh’s fire safety laws exist—but they are rarely implemented.

Buildings ignore fire audits, slums grow unchecked, and factories repeat the same mistakes.

Approximate patterns based on typical FSCD data:

Electrical faults — 38%

Gas leaks & cylinders — 25%

Cigarettes/stoves — 15%

Industrial/storage hazards — 12%

Other causes — 10%

How Can Bangladesh Break the Cycle?

• Make buildings obey the law
• Stricter enforcement of fire codes, mandatory inspections, and real penalties for non-compliance.
• Upgrade the slums instead of ignoring them
• Replace illegal wiring
• Install water hydrants
• Create access lanes
• Train community fire volunteers
• Regulate LPG cylinders and chemicals
• Enforce strict inspection of storage facilities
• Crack down on illegal refilling stations
• Mandate safer industrial layouts
• Invest in the fire service
• Increase budget for training and modern equipment
• More fire stations across Dhaka
• Specialised response units for airports and chemical zones
• Prioritise accountability
• Transparent investigations, public findings, and prosecution of negligence are key to preventing repeat disasters.

The Big Question: Is This the New Normal?