Fire Ravages Secretariat Building, Claims Firefighter’s Life

Update: The fire that broke out in Building 7 of the Bangladesh Secretariat was completely under control at 8:05 am on Thursday (December 26) after burning for about 6 hours,  the Fire Service said. The fire broke out at 1:52 am on Wednesday (December 25). The origin is not known. A high-level committee of 5-11 members will be formed to investigate, said Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (retd) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.

A massive fire broke out at midnight in seven administrative buildings of the Secretariat, including the offices located in Building 7, which houses six ministries and several departments. According to the Cabinet Division’s website, key operations for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology are conducted on the 5th and 8th floors of this building. Dr. Md. Mushfiqur Rahman, Secretary of the ministry, occupies the 5th floor, while Advisor Nahid Islam works on the 8th floor

Brigadier General Zahid Kamal, Director General of the Fire Service, confirmed that the fire had significantly damaged the 8th floor. The flames have been raging for over five hours, primarily in the midsection of the building, with thick smoke emanating from the eastern side. Despite the efforts of firefighters, controlling the blaze has been challenging.

In a briefing at 6:45 a.m., Brigadier General Kamal expressed hope that the fire could be brought under control within half an hour. However, significant damage has already been inflicted on the 6th, 7th, and 8th floors of the building. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.

At 6:00 a.m., 20 fire service units were battling the intense flames, but the fire showed no signs of abating. Glass from the building continued to shatter and fall to the ground below, adding to the dangers faced by the firefighters.

Tragically, one firefighter, Md. Sohanuzzaman Noyon, a member of the Tejgaon Fire Team’s Special Branch, lost his life after being struck by a truck while responding to the fire. He succumbed to his injuries hours later at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Another firefighter sustained severe injuries, including the loss of a leg, while combating the blaze. Noyon, hailing from Mithapukur, Rangpur, was remembered with deep sorrow by his colleagues, who continued their efforts despite the tragic loss.

Building 7 of the Secretariat accommodates critical government ministries and departments, including the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and the Ministry of Finance.

In addition to firefighters, personnel from the Army, police, and APBn have joined forces to assist in firefighting and secure the area. Two platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were also deployed for rescue operations. Together, these forces are providing security and aiding fire service teams in their efforts to control the situation.

The fire has left many citizens bewildered, especially given the presence of the Secretariat’s own firefighting unit. Concerns and suspicions have been raised, with some questioning whether the fire was an act of sabotage, particularly as the affected building housed documents related to alleged corruption in the ICT and telecom sectors.