Fire guts 14 shops

A fire gutted at least fourteen business establishments at Balla Bazar in Kalihati upazila of the district on Monday night. The fire originated from an electric short circuit at a tailoring shop at the market around 10:30pm and soon engulfed 13 other adjacent shops, Chand Mahmud, chairman of local the union parishad, said. On information, a fire fighting unit from Tangail town rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. The affected shop owners claimed that the extent of losses caused by the fire could go up to Tk 1.5 crore.