Shopna loses all in the fourth fire she witnessed at Mohakhali slum

Nazma Begum Shopna was weeping outside the Sattola slum and trying to go to her shanty for her belongings -- all burnt in the fire at Dhaka's Mohakhali this morning.

Originally from Noakhali, Shopna (48) arrived at the slum with her aunt when she was six years old. She got married to Abul Kalam, a day labourer, here in 1997. They have a 21-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter.

Shopna went to bed around midnight and woke up hearing people screaming "fire!"

The fire started inside a shanty, which was just behind her room, she said.

"I couldn't manage to get my valuables," she said.

"I had gold jewellery weighing one tola. I worked hard, saved up, and bought the gold," said Shopna. She works as a domestic help. "I kept Tk 4,000 cash in my room for rent which was also gutted in the fire," she added. "This is the fourth fire in this slum that I have witnessed."

"I managed to save my furniture and valuables from the previous fires but this time I couldn't," she said.

More than 500 shanties were gutted as a fire broke out at Sattola slum at Mohakhali around 3:40 am today.