The devastating fire at the secretariat has caused significant damage to the eighth and ninth floors, with concerns mounting over the potential loss of critical documents stored in those areas.
On Thursday (26 December) morning, Fire Service and Civil Defence Brigadier Director General General Muhammad Zahid Kamal provided an update on the situation, indicating that important files may have been damaged in the blaze.
Meanwhile, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, adviser to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, shared a statement on his verified Facebook account.
He disclosed that his ministry had been investigating instances of embezzlement and corruption involving several thousand crores of taka.
The adviser vowed that anyone found complicit in the alleged conspiracy to derail these efforts would face strict action, stating, “Those involved in this conspiracy will not be spared in the slightest.”
Senior Chief Petty Officer of the Bangladesh Navy Md Aminul Islam, speaking to journalists after exiting the building at 10:45am on Thursday, expressed his suspicion that the fire was not caused by an electrical short circuit.
“Based on the condition inside, it seems unlikely that the fire started from a short circuit. It appears to have ignited from multiple locations,” he said, adding that no conclusive information about the fire’s origin was yet available.
The fire erupted at building no 7 of the secretariat in Segunbagicha during the early hours of Thursday.
According to the Fire Service, they were alerted to the blaze at 1:52am on Wednesday night.
Firefighters reached the scene within two minutes, and initially, eight units were deployed to combat the flames.
The number of units was later increased to 19, and it took approximately six and a half hours to bring the fire under control.
The incident has triggered widespread speculation, with authorities yet to confirm the extent of the damage or the motive behind the fire.
