Fire At Secretariat A ‘Planned Sabotage’, Intelligence Bags Important Info

The high-level investigation committee will submit the initial report of the horrific fire incident at the Secretariat, the heart of the administration, to the Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus today. Officials of various agencies, including the CID, involved in the investigation, have obtained several important information about the fire incident. They have found initial signs of “sabotage” in the incident. That is why the intelligence officials are investigating more deeply.

Meanwhile, at a news briefing in front of the State Guest House Jamuna on Sunday, Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Mazumder, said that if the investigation committee deems it necessary to conduct a thorough investigation into the fire, some evidence may be sent outside the country for testing.

A senior official of an intelligence agency, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that flames were seen burning simultaneously in three separate places on the seventh, sixth and eighth floors of the nine-storey building. If a short circuit occurs, the fire will spread to different parts of the same floor. There is no chance of the fire spreading from one floor to another at the same time. 

“Because, in the Secretariat buildings, separate circuit breakers are installed to supply electricity to each floor. Anyone can turn off and on the electricity supply to a floor if they wish. In the event of a short circuit, the fire will spread to that specific floor at the same time. There is no chance of it spreading to other floors.”

In addition, several other important information and evidence have been found, from which it initially appears that this was a “planned fire,” he added.

A responsible CID officer said that evidence was collected from different floors in the Secretariat fire incident. These evidences have already been subjected to preliminary tests. “These tests do not seem to be a natural fire. Therefore, the investigation will need more time and a comment can be given after that,” he mentioned.

According to multiple sources, a fire broke out at the Secretariat, the heart of the administration, and caused significant damage, including the torching of important documents of five ministries. The government had formed an expert investigation committee headed by the senior secretary of the home ministry to investigate the cause of the fire. The investigation committee will submit its preliminary investigation report to Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus on Monday. There is widespread interest among people from different walks of life and professions about what can be found in the preliminary investigation report.

Fire service and law enforcement officials said floors 6 to 9 of Building 7 were damaged. These floors house the offices of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Ministry of Local Government, and Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges.

A massive fire broke out in the Secretariat at 1:52 am on Wednesday, December 25. The Fire Service and Civil Defense brought the fire under control six hours later at 8:05 am on Thursday. However, fire existed in some parts of the building. After about four more hours of effort, the fire was completely extinguished at 11:45 am.