A significant fire broke out at a jute processing facility in Bangladesh’s south-western district of Jessore, causing extensive damage and raising concerns of losses running into tens of millions of taka. The incident occurred at a factory in the Bhanga Gate area of Abhaynagar Upazila shortly after 2:00 a.m. on Monday (6 April).
The affected establishment, operated under the name Zarbaan Fibres Limited, is locally associated with the well-known Noapara Jute Mill operations. It is currently managed under a joint ownership structure involving Bangladeshi entrepreneur M. A. Rob and German national Thomas Bressler. The facility is commonly linked with the broader industrial network of jute processing units in the Noapara industrial belt.
According to factory officials, the fire is believed to have originated from a machine within the production unit during late-night operations. Despite immediate attempts by workers on duty, the flames rapidly spread through stored jute fibres and adjoining machinery, intensifying the situation within minutes.
Upon receiving the alert, two firefighting units from the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence stationed at Noapara rushed to the scene. Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours before bringing it under control in the early morning. Cooling operations continued until around 8:00 a.m., when the fire was officially declared extinguished.
Officials confirmed that no casualties were reported, as the factory was operating with limited night staffing at the time of the incident.
Estimated Losses and Response
Factory representatives claimed that the damage could exceed one crore Bangladeshi taka, citing destruction of raw jute, processing machinery, and infrastructure. However, fire service officials provided a more conservative preliminary estimate of around fifty lakh taka, noting that a full assessment would require further inspection.
Investigators have suggested that an electrical short circuit in industrial machinery may have triggered the blaze, although the exact cause remains under review.
Incident Summary
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Bhanga Gate, Abhaynagar Upazila, Jessore |
| Time of Incident | Approximately 2:00 a.m., 6 April |
| Facility | Zarbaan Fibres Limited |
| Firefighting Units | 2 units from Noapara Fire Station |
| Control Time | Around 3:00 a.m. |
| Extinguishing Completed | Approximately 8:00 a.m. |
| Suspected Cause | Electrical short circuit (preliminary) |
| Casualties | None reported |
| Estimated Damage | ৳50 lakh – over ৳1 crore |
Authorities are expected to conduct a detailed investigation to determine the precise cause of the fire and assess the total financial loss. The incident has once again highlighted safety concerns in industrial zones handling highly flammable jute materials.