At least 116 people, mostly women and children, were burned alive and scores more wounded in a blaze in the densely populated Old Dhaka last night.The death toll may rise sharply, as rescuers early today were pulling out bodies from eight houses and 20 shops that had been reduced to ashes by the fire, the biggest in recent years. The government has declared a day of national mourning on Saturday across the country while special prayers will be offered at mosques, temples, churches and pagodas for the departed souls of the fire victims.
Old Dhaka June 2010. Rescuers carry the body of a Thursday night's fire victim at Old Dhaka's Nimtali.
Old Dhaka June 2010. Relatives carry a dead bodies after namaje janaja a funeral procession at old Dhaka.