'I want them to survive'

"I want them to survive [after this tragedy]. I wish they can celebrate Eid with their families."

An emotional Hijra leader Aleya from Uttara said this today while handing over Tk 2 lakh as donation to the traders of Bangabazar Shopping Complex which was burnt to ashes in a massive fire last week.

"I saved the money to perform hajj. But I gave it to the traders so that they can bounce back," Aleya told reporters at Bangabazar site.

"It was heart-wrenching to see this market being burnt down. Once we used to collect Tk 10 to 20 from these traders in the markets. Today, they have lost everything. So, this is my little contribution," Aleya said.

The Hijra leader asked all to stand beside the traders at their worst time.

Getting the donation, the traders thanked Aleya for the contribution.

The devastating fire at the Bangabazar market may have burnt more than Tk 1,000 crore worth of investment into ashes, said the president of the Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity, the apex trade body of shop owners.

There were around 2,500 shops in the market, one of the popular clothing markets in the capital for retailers and wholesalers. The shop owners had invested heavily to profit from the biggest shopping festival ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.