Old Dhaka’s Chawkbazar is heavy with the mournful cries of bereaved trying to come to terms with the loss of a close one.
The people crowded at the scene, combing through the fire-ravaged neighbourhood, trying to find the littlest remains of their loved ones well after the rescue efforts ended.
The relatives of those still missing are still desperately roaming around the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, trying to find some news.
On Wednesday (Feb 21), a massive fire broke out at Chawkbazar, one of the largest trading hubs in Dhaka.
The fire started in a building with shops on its ground floor, a warehouse for plastics and flammable material on the first, and homes on the three floors above.
It tore through the building causing the gas cylinders in the adjoining restaurant and a parked van to explode, rocking the streets and engulfing pedestrians and residents alike in flames.
The large scale conflagration is a stark reminder of the 2010 Nimtali fire that claimed over 120 lives.
Fire service started sending the recovered dead bodies to the DMCH morgue after the fire was brought under control.
The area was sealed off until Thursday (Feb 21) morning after which people came pouring in at the scene.
Rubel Hossain identified the dead body of his father, Alif Hossain, 40, who owned a handbag shop at Wahid Manjil, one of the buildings to be gutted. He burned to death in his own shop.
A 45-year-old Siddique, who died, owned a cosmetics shop in the same building. His son is still stunned by the death of his father.
The scenario is just as grim at the DMCH morgue where people are trying to identify the burnt remains of their loved ones, trying to come to terms to the trauma which will probably haunt them for life.
While many had the closure of at least finding the remains of their dear ones, many are still desperately running around the hospitals with a photograph on their phones, trying to locate the relatives that are still missing.
People are trying to identify the bodies, which have been burnt beyond recognition by matching the photos on the phones.