Wahed Mansion in Old Dhaka's Chawkbazar has been repainted, plastered, and restored to its former state. The owners have moved on, and it seems the country has too.

But for the families of the 71 victims who perished in the fire that tore through the building on February 20, 2019, time has done little to heal their wounds. Their lives remain physically, emotionally, and financially scarred.

The fire was fuelled by flammable chemicals stored illegally inside the building, devastated the Churihatta neighbourhood.

Today, the building's pristine facade belies the tragedy that unfolded there.

"The four-storey building has been repaired, but our suffering never ended," said Ashiq Uddin Sainik, general secretary of a collective of victims' families.

Struggling to Survive

Sheikh Mahmud, one of the few who survived the inferno, bears the physical reminders of that night.

"The backside of my body was badly burned. I was one of the lucky ones, but the pain still lingers," he said. "One of my eyes has permanent damage."

For others, the suffering is financial as well as emotional.

The damaged building after the fire.

Shirin Akter lost her husband, Nuruzzaman Howlader, a rickshaw-puller who never made it out of the fire. Now, she works as a cleaner for Dhaka South City Corporation, earning Tk 500 on the days she is assigned work.

"The job helps me survive, but it's not enough to support my son and me. I can hardly make ends meet," she said.

Nasreen Akter, daughter of deceased Jaynal Abedin, said, "Five years have passed, and we still haven't received justice."

"Every year, people ask us about our sufferings, but nothing changes. My mother is battling cancer and kidney problems, and we are struggling to survive," she added.

Compensation Promised, But Undelivered

To mark the fifth anniversary of the tragedy, victims' families organised a rally in front of Wahed Mansion yesterday, demanding justice and financial relief.

The government had reportedly raised Tk 30 crore in the national relief fund for the victims, but none of the families claim to have received a single taka.

While compensation was promised, only 21 of the 71 families who lost loved ones have received any financial support. The rest remain in limbo.

Nasiruddin, a leader of the victims' collective, said, "We have heard that a large fund was collected for us, but we have yet to see any of it. We need that money -- or at least a loan -- to help us rebuild our lives."

Victims demand justice. Photo: Star

Justice Delayed, Hope Fading

As the years pass, hope for justice is fading. No significant legal action has been taken against those responsible for the illegal chemical storage that exacerbated the blaze.

The trial of the case filed over the tragedy at the additional metropolitan sessions judge's court-8 of Dhaka has been stalled, largely due to the prosecution's failure to produce witnesses before the court.

Despite charges being framed against eight accused -- including the owner of Wahed Mansion, Hasan Sultan, and his brother Hossain Sultan Sohel -- only four out of 167 prosecution witnesses have testified so far.

The last testimony was recorded in October 2023.

"The trial is being delayed as the witnesses do not appear before the court to give their statements," a court staffer told The Daily Star.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for April 13 this year.