When will the authorities wake up?

Mohammad Ali took his son Arafat to a doctor and they were on their way home, along with Ali's brother Apu Raihan.

Siddiqullah was supposed to start for his vilage home in Noakhali in the night. The small trader was having his dinner at a hotel in Chawbazar area.

Mithu and his wife Sonia and their child Shahid were passing through Chawkbazar in a rickshaw.

Like these seven, scores of people were either burnt alive or sustained serious burn injuries in Wednesday night's deadly fire in Old Dhaka's Chawkbazar area.

How the fire originated is yet to be asecrtained, some witnesses blaming the cylinder of a car while some holding the chemical stores responsible, but we do know by this time that chemical warehouses contributed to the fire spreading to nearby establishments.

Over 70 people have been confirmed dead, and the Inspector Geneal of Police says the number is likely to increase.

The fire reminds us of the Nimtali blaze, which claimed 124 lives on 3 June, 2010. The government had then pledged to relocate the chemical warehouses or factories in Old Dhaka.

The 20 February 2019 fire tells us that never happened.

As many as 360 factories and stores of chemicals were operating in the areas, according to a survey conducted by the Fire Service and Civil Defence in 2017. The actual number of such establishments are in fact around 1,000, meaning all these people living in the area flirt with death every day.

The roads that hold the area together are so narrow that a number of vehicles carrying water could not enter to douse the fire.

It is high time the government acts and not just sit back after making pledges.

So many lives lost is unbearable!

Every single chemical store or warehouse or factory has to be removed from such residential areas. Such establishments exist not only in Old Dhaka, but in other areas of the city as well, although the number is low.

However, one such store is enough to cause a blaze and hence the government should look into the matter seriously. It is their duty to safeguard the people and they cannot just duck the blame.

The locals also need to sense the danger and ask the owners of such establishments to leave immediately. Reports say almost all the buildings have one or two stores selling items that can turn hazardous during a fire.

It is hoped that the nation does not need to see another Nimtali or Chawkbazar fire in the future.