Little Zara Hayat Khan from Narayanganj's Siddhirganj came to Old Dhaka's Chawkbazar with her father on the day of national mourning on Monday and put a black flag on a burned car left on the street in Churihatta.
The nation observed the official day of mourning for the victims and families affected by the Chawkbazar fire, to express their solidarity and to pray for the departed souls on Monday.
The national flag flew at half-mast at all government, semi-government, autonomous and private institutions at home and in the foreign missions abroad. Officials at different ministries including the cabinet division in the secretariat were seen to wear black badges.
At least 67 persons were killed in the blaze on Feb 20. Among those injured in the incident, nine are receiving treatment in the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Zara's father KM Shah Newaz was a frequent visitor to the wholesale market in Chawkbazar. He used to buy cosmetic products from Chawkbazar to sell at his shop on Chittagong Road. He brought his wife and daughter to Churihatta on Monday morning to offer his condolence. "I visited Chawkbazar on business on the same day the incident occurred. We are feeling very sad. That's why I brought my family here." Seven-year-old Zara is a student in grade two in a Shiddhirganj school, said her mother. "I think she has yet to internalise the sorrow. But she'll understand it when she grows up. That's why we brought Zara here."
