A six-year-old city corporation initiative to build a 10-storey shopping mall at Bangabazar never saw the light of day because of disagreements between the shop owners and the corporation.

Traders are now relocating their goods from Annexco Tower, a building that was affected by the fire that burnt the Bangabazar Shopping Complex to the ground yesterday. .They were salvaging the remaining goods, mostly clothes, from the seven-storey building located next to the complex. .

Says Mohammad Rafiqul Islam Sohag, who lost everything of his three shops because of the fire

"I am very disappointed. We work for the people. We sacrifice our lives for the people… but they attacked us"

The massive fire at the Bangabazar Shopping Complex disrupted operations of national emergency service 999, forcing authorities to temporarily suspend the service.

Smoke was seen coming out of the nearby Annexco Tower more than four hours after the fire at Bangabazar Shopping Complex was brought under control

"Fire has spread to at least six markets"

Many people from nearby markets were also seen taking their belongings out of the area, with everyone occupying the street with their possessions