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the post-operative room for possibly contributing to the deaths.

A health ministry probe committee is currently investigating the incident, while Ramna police are conducting a separate investigation following a case filed by the father of one of the deceased newborns.

The Directorate General of Health Services yesterday formed another probe committee to investigate the incident.

Shahjahan Sikder, senior staff officer attached to the media cell of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, told The Daily Star yesterday, “Ad-din hospital has not renewed its fire licence since 2023. We have issued several warning letters to the hospital, but received no response.”

In a notice issued on January 12 this year, the fire service said under the Fire Prevention and Extinguishing Act, 2003, and the Bangladesh National Building Code 2020, the hospital was required to obtain approval for a fire safety plan and implement all prescribed fire protection measures before occupying and operating the building.

The notice said although the hospital had been in operation, it had neither obtained approval for a fire safety plan nor implemented the required fire safety measures, creating a risk of fire and potential loss of life and property.

The fire service instructed the hospital to prepare and obtain approval for a fire safety plan within three months and implement all safety measures specified in the plan.

It also warned that failure to comply could result in the building being declared unfit for use due to inadequate fire safety arrangements and could lead to legal action under the Fire Prevention and Extinguishing Act, 2003.

Shahjahan said the hospital authorities received the letter but have yet to respond to it.

Contacted, Tariqul Islam Mukul, director of HR and company affairs at Ad-din Foundation, which runs the hospital, said, “As far as I know, all our documents were updated.”

The hospital submitted all its regulatory documents to the health ministry yesterday, he told The Daily Star last night.