A devastating fire destroyed a restaurant and a neighbouring betel leaf shop in Ketarhat area of Jotbani Union in Birampur Upazila, Dinajpur, late Thursday night, October 29, leaving two small business owners facing significant financial losses.
The fire gutted the restaurant, which had been built through nearly a decade of hard work, and destroyed goods and furniture at the adjacent betel leaf shop. According to local residents and the affected business owners, the combined losses could exceed Tk 500,000.
The restaurant was owned by Shahidul Islam, son of Abdur Jabbar, from Chakol village in Jotbani Union. He had spent around 10 years building and running the business.
Ketarhat hosts large weekly markets every Thursday and Sunday, attracting visitors from nearby and distant areas. Shahidul's restaurant was a popular place for marketgoers to eat, serving a variety of dishes, including beef and duck, as well as sweets and yoghurt.
According to local residents, the restaurant generated sales of approximately Tk 50,000 on each market day.
The establishment had been Shahidul's primary source of income and supported his family's livelihood. Its destruction has left him uncertain about how to rebuild the business and recover from the financial setback.
The fire also damaged the neighbouring betel leaf shop owned by Gopal Chandra Mahanta, son of Kala Chand Mahanta of Pathohat area in Chakol village, Jotbani Union.
Read nextSRB Raids Residential House in Chhagalnaiya: Drug Dealer Arrested with 40 kg HempThe flames and intense heat destroyed betel leaves, areca nuts, biscuits, other merchandise and shop furniture. Local residents estimated the damage to his shop at more than Tk 100,000.
For the two business owners, the affected shops represented years of effort and their primary means of earning a living. The sudden destruction has left both families facing uncertainty about their financial future.
Local residents said a unit of the Birampur Fire Service rushed to the scene after receiving information about the fire and brought it under control.
Abdur Razzak Mondal, chairman of Jotbani Union Parishad, said the sudden fire had caused extensive damage to the businesses and property of the two families.
He added that recovering from the losses and restarting their businesses would be difficult. He expressed hope that assistance from the administration would help the affected families rebuild their livelihoods.
The cause of the fire was not specified in the information provided.
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— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Golam Mostafizar Rahman Milan, Hili, Hili Correspondent • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
