Bangladesh Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Md. Aminul Islam believes that someone may have deliberately set the fire at the Secretariat.
He told reporters after coming out of the Secretariat at 10:45 am on Thursday (December 26).
Aminul Islam said, looking at the situation inside, I believe the fire did not start from a short circuit. It was seen that the fire started from different places. He said, no information has been received yet about the origin of the fire.
When asked how a fire broke out in different places in a building at an important place like the Secretariat, he said, I did not see how the fire started. However, looking at the situation inside, we believe that the fire did not start from an electrical short circuit. If the fire had started from a short circuit, it would not have started in different places. We still do not have the exact information about whom or how the fire started. Initially, I think someone did this deliberately.
When asked why there is such a perception, he said, because the fire started from different places. If a fire breaks out due to a short circuit, it would spread from any side.
When asked about the damage inside, he said, it is not possible to say how much damage has been done at the moment. There are no documents at the places where the fire broke out; everything has been burnt to ashes. We have not been able to identify everything yet. We are working.
Incidentally, the fire that broke out in Building No. 7 of the Secretariat located in Segunbagicha in the capital was brought under control after about 6 and half hours. The fire was brought under control around 8:15 am on Thursday (December 26). Fire Service Media Cell Officer Md. Shahjahan Sikder gave this information.
According to the information provided by the Fire Service, they received the news of the fire at 1:52 am on Wednesday (December 25). Fire Service members reached the spot at 1:54 am the following day. Initially, eight units worked to control the fire. Later, the number of units was increased. Finally, 19 units of the Fire Service were working to control the fire.
A member of the Fire Service was killed when a truck ran over him while trying to put out the fire. His name is Sohanuzzaman Nayan. Brigadier General Zahed Kamal, Director General (DG) of the Fire Service, gave this information in a briefing at the scene around 6:45 am today.
The DG of the Fire Service said that Sohanuzzaman Nayan was injured when he was hit by a truck while crossing the road to connect the line from the water pump. Doctors declared him dead after taking him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The extent of the damage in the fire was not known except for the death of a member of the fire service. Besides, the cause of the fire was not immediately known.