The fire that broke out at Building No. 7 of the Bangladesh Secretariat in Segunbagicha was brought under control after a six-hour operation by the fire service. Although the blaze was extinguished by 8:05 AM on Thursday, entry to the Secretariat premises was temporarily restricted. By shortly before 10:00 AM, officials and employees were allowed to enter through Gate 5.

On-site observations on Thursday morning revealed officials and staff gathered outside various entry points, including the Metro Rail Station near the Secretariat, the Power Development Board building, Osmani Udyan, and the Food Department building, awaiting permission to enter. The gates remained closed for safety reasons, but as access was restored, female officials were permitted to enter first in an orderly manner.

The fire service had initially received the report of the fire at 1:52 AM on Wednesday night. As the fire quickly spread, 19 firefighting units were deployed to the site to bring the situation under control. After an extensive six-hour effort, the blaze was fully contained.

Tragically, during the operation, firefighter Md. Sohanuzzaman Noyon was fatally injured after being struck by a truck while transporting firefighting equipment to the scene. Noyon, a member of the Tejgaon Fire Team’s Special Branch, hailed from Mithapukur in Rangpur and had been serving in the fire department for two years. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries. Another firefighter sustained a leg injury during the operation but is reported to be recovering.

The authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire or the extent of the damages. Investigations are underway to establish the facts surrounding the incident.