Secretariat Fire: Restricted Entry Permitted Under Strict Security Measures

• Security measures intensified in and around the Secretariat.
• Law enforcement personnel deployed at multiple entry points.

Controlled entry resumed at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Thursday morning under strict security measures, following a fire in Building 7 of the complex. Gate No. 5 was opened to allow officials and staff to enter in a regulated manner, one at a time. This step followed a temporary entry restriction implemented after the fire at the country’s administrative headquarters.  

Outside the Secretariat, crowds of onlookers gathered alongside officials and staff who had been unable to access their offices earlier. Security was significantly heightened, with personnel from the armed forces, police, RAB, and BGB deployed at various gates to ensure order and safety.  

During a visit to the site, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury reported that the fire began on the fifth floor of Building 7 at approximately 1:50 am. The fire service was alerted at 1:52 am and initiated operations within two minutes. The blaze was fully contained by 8:05 am.  

The incident also disrupted traffic on the main road in front of the Secretariat, stretching from Paltan to Zero Point. Fire service vehicles and other emergency response units occupied the area, with several ambulances on standby as a precaution.