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Source, cause of fire not known

Probe report blames Bashundhara for negligence in safety

Hasan Jahid Tusher
The probe committee that investigated the fire incident at Bashundhara Shopping Complex in its report yesterday could not identify the source and cause of the fire but mentioned gross negligence of the Bashundhara authorities regarding fire safety.
The Bashundhara authorities did not cooperate with the committee in providing necessary information and assistance, alleged the probe body in the report submitted to the home minister.
The committee found that the fire broke out at the complex at least an hour before the Bashundhara authorities called the fire fighters at about 1:45pm onMarch 13.
The fire exit doors at the shopping complex had been kept under lock and key during the incident, said the report.
The probe body said six people died inside a lift but if they
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could use the fireproof lift at the complex, they might have survived.
The security guards who were on duty that day were 'withdrawn' before the fire broke out, giving rise to a speculation whether the fire was an outcome of any sabotage just two weeks after the massacre at the Pilkhana BDR headquarters, the report said.
Seven people were killed and 20 others injured in the fire that broke out on a top floor of the 20-storeybuildingon March 13.
The committee also suggested that the home ministry conduct a comprehensive probe by any investigation agency like Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to find out the cause and source of the fire.
They also put forward a 19-point recommendation for checking reoccurrence of such incidents in the future.
The report said there was a faint possibility that the fire was caused by electrical short circuit.
"The probe committee did not get necessary cooperation from the Bashundhara authorities," State Minister for Home Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj told journalists at the home ministry conference room after a meeting with the committee members.
He said the committee made suggestion for further investigation into the incident, as some matters remain unclear.
"The delay in calling the fire fighters obviously raises some questions," said SohelTaj.
We might conduct another probe by investigation agencies, if necessary," said the state minister.
"Bashundhara is one of the leading business organisations. They miglit have enmity with other organisations or people or internal conflicts which has created doubts in our mind about the fire," said Joint Secretary of the ministry Iqbal Klum Chowdhury, who headed the probe body
The committee's recommendations include compliance with fire-fighting guidelines and building roues in construction of high-rise buildings, organising fire drill every two months, modernisation of the fire brigade and civil
defence, formation of a magistrate's court to enforce the rules and ensure fire safety, mandatory installation of helipad on the roof of every high-rise building, extension of roads for easy movement of fire-fighting vehicles, submission of designs of high-rise buildings to the fire department, having firefighters in every high -rise building and compensations for the victims.