About 30 shops of readymade garments and garments accessories were gutted at Mayakatara Market near Sadraghat after an electrical short circuit sparked off the fire at around 1.00am.

The traders estimated the loss at around Tk 2 crore, including Tk 60 lakh in cash.

The shop owners alleged that fire fighting units from Sadarghat Station reached the spot late and with inadequate amount of water.

Later, fire fighters from Narayanganj extinguished the blaze.

The fire at Jalladkhana Baddhyabhumi Slum at Pallabi near Mirpur section 10 left about 1,000 people homeless. However, there was no casualties in the blaze that started at around 1.00am, police said.

Local people said five people have been missing following the fire incident but could not provide specific information.

Slum dwellers said the oven at the shanty of one Rahima Khatun might have sparked the fire. But Rahima suspected that somebody had set the fire to the slum.

At least 15 people were injured as the blaze sent the slum dwellers scurrying out of their houses.

Eight fire fighting units from Kurmitola and Mirpur extinguished the fire after an struggle for two hours, fire fighters said. They estimated the loss at around Tk 7 lakh.