A fire broke out at the Hawkers' Market at Ganginapar in Mymensingh on Thursday morning.
It is believed that the fire originated from electric short circuit around 6:30am and soon engulfed the adjoining shops.
Ten firefighting units rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze after three hours of frantic efforts, said Shahidur Rahman, Assistant Director of Fire Service.
At least 150 shops were gutted in the carnage and destroyed goods were worth several crores, said Abdul Huq, president of the shop owners association of the market.
The financial loss is mammoth as shopkeepers couldn’t shift their goods to safety amidst the overpowering blaze, he observed.
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Mymensingh, Dr. Subhash Chandra Biswas announced immediate financial aid to the affected traders.
“I will discuss the issue with the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief after calculating the damages. Financial aid and easy loans will be provided soon,” The DC told newsmen after inspecting the scene.