Dhaka, April 15 -- A fire has burnt down nearly 200 homes at the Tekpara and Yakub Nagar slums in Chattogram's Firingee Bazar.

The fire started at 1:20pm, said Abdur Razzak, Fire Service deputy assistant director for the Chattogram Region. It was brought under control around 2:15pm. Efforts are now underway to extinguish the flames.

"Firefighters from the Nandankanan, Lamarbazar, Chandanpura, and Agrabad fire stations are working to extinguish the fire," Razzak said. "Nine units from the four stations were able to bring the blaze under control. Now they are attempting to extinguish it."

The Fire Service and local representatives have yet to confirm the cause of the fire.

A trail of black smoke rising from the slum next to Mariner's Ro...