On the night of December 29, 2024, a devastating fire broke out at Madhaiya Market in Chandina Upazila, Cumilla. In the aftermath, misinformation spread online, portraying the incident as a communal attack.

Fact-Check
Investigations by the Rumor Scanner team revealed that the fire was not an act of communal violence but originated from a stove at a sweet shop, according to the initial findings of the Fire Service. The fire destroyed 72 shops, of which six were owned by individuals from the Hindu community.
A report published on December 30, 2024, by the mainstream media outlet Bangla Tribune, titled "Traffic Congestion Worsened the Madhaiya Market Fire, Over a Hundred Shops Burned," provided detailed accounts of the incident. According to the report, the fire erupted late at night and was brought under control two hours later by the Fire Service, but the damages were substantial.

Fire Service officials reported that approximately 43 rooms, housing multiple shops, were burned. The estimated initial losses amounted to 4.3 million BDT, though the actual figure may rise. Chandina Fire Station Officer Anoy Ghosh stated that the fire likely started from a stove at a sweet shop and spread rapidly due to flammable materials in the area, including wooden partitions, polythene, and plastic goods.

The Rumor Scanner team conducted further verification through the Madhaiya Market Traders' Association. A damage report, signed by Association President K.M. Jamal and General Secretary Md. Anisur Rahman, confirmed that 72 shops were affected, including six owned by Hindu individuals. These were identified as:Dr. Srinath's Modern Pharmacy, Dr. Shanti Ranjan Roy's UpandeHomeo Hall, Dr. Palash's Aditya Pharmacy, Chitta Ranjan Sarkar's Laundry Shop, Niranjan Chandra Debnath's Laundry Shop, Chandan Sarkar's Shoe Shop. 
K.M. JamalPresident of the Madhaiya Market Traders' Association, corroborated that the fire originated at Salam MishtannoBhandar, a sweet shop owned by Md. Salam, and emphasized that Hindu individuals indeed owned several of the affected shops.

Conclusion
Claims circulating online that the fire was a communal attack are entirely false. The incident was an unfortunate accident caused by a stove fire, as confirmed by multiple credible sources, including the Fire Service and local traders.

Original News Link:https://rumorscanner.com/fact-check/the-fire-incident-at-madhaiya-bazar-in-comilla-is-not-a-communal-attack/133215