Standing Beside Korail Residents: JAAGO Foundation’s Emergency Response to the Devastating Fire
On 25 November 2025, a catastrophic fire swept through Korail, one of Dhaka's largest and most densely populated informal settlements. Home to nearly 60,000 families, Korail is a community built on resilience, hope, and hard work. That night, however, it faced one of its darkest moments. A blaze that raged for almost 16 hours destroyed approximately 1,500 homes, leaving thousands of people without shelter and without the basic security of a place to return to. Families who had spent years building their lives watched everything disappear within hours.
Immediate Mobilization: Shelter and Safety
As the fire spread, the need for immediate support became urgent. Employees, teachers and volunteers of JAAGO quickly mobilised, working side by side to ensure the safety of our students, their families, and other community members. The JAAGO Foundation Korail School was opened as an emergency shelter within hours of the fire breaking out. Throughout the night, displaced children and families found safety, warmth, and support within the school premises. Volunteers from JAAGO and Volunteer for Bangladesh (VBD) assisted with evacuations, helped move residents away from danger, and provided comfort to those who were terrified and disoriented by the sudden devastation.
The following morning, on 26 November, VBD volunteers conducted an urgent field assessment to understand what people needed most. Based on this groundwork, JAAGO initiated a coordinated, large-scale relief effort, focusing first on immediate necessities and later on ongoing support for recovery.
A Community of Support: Coordinated Relief Efforts
As news of the disaster spread, many kind-hearted individuals and organisations came forward to offer their support. Thanks to their generosity, we were able to extend our help and reach more families in need. With the contributions we received, we were able to provide the following essential relief items and services to the community.
Dry Food Distribution
To address hunger and exhaustion, dry food items such as bread and bananas were distributed, ensuring that affected families, especially children, had access to quick and simple breakfasts when they needed them most.
Cooked Meals
Cooked meals were prepared and delivered throughout the day. In total, nearly 7,000 meals were served to fire-affected residents, helping families regain some sense of stability and nourishment during an overwhelming time.
Essential Shelter and Warmth
- Warm Clothing: Warm clothing was provided to help families face the cooler nights that often follow the winter season. A total of 1,100 pieces of warm clothing were distributed to children, parents, and elderly residents who had lost everything in the fire.
- Blankets: A total of 1200 blankets were also handed out. These simple essentials offered warmth, protection, and comfort to families who suddenly had to sleep under the open sky or in makeshift shelters.
- Mosquito Nets: Additionally, mosquito nets were supplied to 350 families, helping protect them from mosquito-borne illnesses at a time when living conditions became significantly more exposed and vulnerable.
- Tarpaulins: Tarpaulins were distributed to another 350 families, offering immediate temporary shelter and shielding them from harsh weather while longer-term housing solutions were still out of reach.
Comprehensive Household Support
Essential household items were also provided to around 100 families, helping them begin the process of rebuilding daily life with dignity and stability.
Healthcare and Mental Health Support
Medical Camps
Beyond essential food and shelter support, two days of medical camps were organised at JAAGO school premises, where more than 100 people received first aid, primary healthcare services, and essential medicines.
Dignity Kits
Dignity kits containing feminine hygiene products were distributed to ensure that women and girls were not left without the basic necessities crucial to their well-being.
Mental Health Support Corner
Recognising the emotional toll of such a traumatic event, JAAGO also established a mental health support corner. Counsellors were available to students, parents, and community members to help them process fear, grief, and uncertainty. For many, this safe space became an essential part of healing.
Our Dedicated Team
More than 100 JAAGO colleagues, teachers, and VBD volunteers worked tirelessly through the days that followed. Their compassion, commitment, and strength ensured that relief efforts were organised, dependable, and rooted in empathy.
Heartfelt Thanks to Our Supporters
Our heartfelt thanks to the following organizations and countless individual donors who came forward in this time of immense need:
Your kindness and generosity provided more than just essential supplies—it brought hope, comfort, and a sense of reassurance to families who had lost everything in an instant. From the bottom of our hearts, we are deeply and eternally grateful for your support and solidarity.