Victims of slum fire left helpless

It is disheartening to note that Pallabi slum dwellers, who had their houses and nearly all other belongings burnt by a fire that broke out in the slum on March 12, have received little to no financial help from the authorities to get back on their feet. Though slum fires in our country seem to have become a common occurrence, and there have been at least two other incidents of fire breaking out in slums this year already, the fire that broke out in Pallabi slum was one of the biggest in the last 20 years, affecting 4,844 families and many more people.

They have so far only received about 30kg of rice per family from the district administration—with the elderly receiving a little more—and some emergency utensils and books from other sources. But the urgent financial support that they need to be able to rebuild their homes or make alternative living arrangements has been badly missing. Under the circumstances, some are having to borrow money at a monthly 10 percent interest rate, while those who cannot borrow at such a high rate are simply having to live under the open sky.

Most of the victims are people from low-income groups. Thus, it is difficult to imagine how they can afford to borrow at such high rates or be able to build houses using their own means, especially when most of their belongings were lost in the fire as it is.

The authorities should take heed of their sufferings at this difficult hour, and by so doing, provide the victim families with the financial support they so desperately need to start anew.