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Bangladesh Army’s bomb squad and sniffer dogs, and the Criminal Investigation Department.

“We all agreed that the fire broke out due to a loose electrical connection. This is our initial assessment, and no other factors have been identified so far.”

Responding to a query, he said the ministries from today or tomorrow will start auditing their offices to know what important documents have been damaged.

He, however, said he himself and other members of the committee visited the affected floors twice and found that critical documents were largely unharmed in many rooms.

The committee chief said the extent of the damage would be available in the final report.

A member of the body, Maksud Helali, a former professor at the Buet’s mechanical engineering department, said, “We conducted a thorough investigation from day one with the help of various agencies. We plan to do additional tests both at home and abroad to enhance accuracy.”

According to him, the fire ensued between 1:32am and 1:39am on Thursday, gradually spreading over seven minutes. Sparks from a loose connection heated the surrounding materials, eventually reaching ignition temperature, he explained.

He added, “The flames rose vertically, causing smoke to flow eastwards due to the building’s design. This made it appear as though there were two fire sources, but it was only one.”

The fire spread significantly within 12-14 minutes, making it difficult to extinguish.

He said laws make it mandatory to check and do maintenance of electric lines every year, but it is not being followed in government offices and homes.

Prof Helali said it is the administration that will take action against those responsible for maintenance of the building.

Committee member Brig Gen Mahbubur Rassle, an explosive expert of Bangladesh Army, confirmed that no explosives were detected. “Samples collected by the fire service and searches conducted by the dog squad yielded no residue of explosives.”

However, Brig Gen Muhammad Zahed Kamal, director general of the fire service, said delays caused by obstacles such as collapsible gates and the building’s interior design facilitated the spread of the fire.

The chief adviser has instructed the committee to propose both short- and long-term safety measures within 10 days to prevent future incidents. “We will recommend regular maintenance in compliance with the Bangladesh National Building Code,” said Prof Helali.

However, he stressed that implementation lies with the administration.

The fire affected four floors of Building No 7, damaging files, computers, and furniture at Road Transport and Highways Division, two divisions under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives, the Posts and Telecommunications Division, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Nineteen fire engines extinguished the blaze after 10 hours of intense effort. A firefighter setting up hose pipes was run over and killed by a truck in the early hours.

Replying to a query from reporters, Nasimul Ghani said, “Some tests are being conducted at army labs, while others will be sent to Singapore and Indonesia.”