Fire incidents were reported from  Lalbagh, Tejgaon, Sadarghat and Mohammadpur areas in Dhaka in the early hours of Sunday due to use of sky lanterns for New Year celebrations, according to Fire Service. Besides, Adabar area of the city faced blackout as lanterns fell on electrical lines and fire spread on the wires around 12am, said Fire Service and Civil Defence Control Room Duty Officer Ershad Hossain. However, no injuries or causalities were reported. In Sadarghat, a fire broke out at the hawkers market from a sky lantern fell from a nearby building. Later, two units of fire fighters rushed to the spot, but it was doused by locals. Fire broke out in a building at Lalbagh and another building at Tajgaon which were also doused soon. However, the fire that broke out in a  multi-storied building at Mohammadpur was massive and fire fighters doused the fire after a frantic effort, said the duty officer. Read more: No outdoor celebrations on 31st night: DMP Commissioner Meanwhile, a fire broke out in Adabar area as a lantern fell on an electric line, causing blackout in the entire area, he added. “It is not known whether electricity supply was restored there or not.” Last year, around 10 fire incidents were reported on the 31st Night. Dhaka dwellers used firecrackers and flew sky lanterns (fanush) on the 31st night despite Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) restrictions. Read more: People remain indoors as fireworks light the sky to usher in New Year

The government has urged people to celebrate Christmas Day and 31st night on the eve of New Year on a very limited scale due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Home Ministry issued a notice in this regard on December 14. Read: PM witnesses enthralling cultural show on V-Day and Mujib Borsha celebrations All religious and social progremmes are being arranged on a very limited scale worldwide due to Covid, and the religious festivals of Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists were celebrated in Bangladesh on a limited scale maintaining health guidelines, said the notice.  It will be logical to celebrate Christmas and the 31st night on a limited scale and strictly maintain health guidelines instead of holding meetings, rallies and any kind of religious, social and cultural programmes. Read: Dazzling fireworks bring curtains down on DU's centenary celebrations The ministry also asked law enforcers and local administrations to maintain law and order and ensure health protocols across the country after holding meetings with the authorities concerned in the upazilas, districts and metropolitan cities if needed. It also asked the law enforcement agencies to strengthen security ahead of the events.

No open air cultural programme will be allowed on the 31st December to maintain the law-and-order situation in the city, said Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Mohammad Shafiqul Islam.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Monday said the government has taken adequate security measures to prevent any kind of anarchy centering the celebration of New Year or the 31st night.