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After being informed around 1:05am, officials from the Fire Service and Civil Defence reached the spot around 1:30am. Six fire service units brought the blaze under control after about two hours.

Firefighters rescued the two victims in critical condition around 3:10am. Salam was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead, while Jony was declared dead at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

Morgue sources said they both died of smoke inhalation.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Noman said the 12th floor housed four flats -- three used as law chambers and one residential unit, which was locked during the fire.

“The property belonged to the late AF Hassan Ariff, a distinguished lawyer and former adviser to the interim government. Of the four flats, two were owned by his son, Muaaz Ariff, and the other two by his daughter, Ummehani Binte Ariff.”

Muaaz used one of the flats as his law chamber and another as his residence, Noman said, adding that he paid rent to Ummehani. Deceased Jony worked as an office assistant in Muaaz’s chamber.

Noman also said the two victims, who were trapped inside the building, had appealed for rescue over their mobile phones before contact was lost.

He said his chamber in unit D-1 on the 12th floor was completely destroyed and claimed that CCTV footage from outside the chamber went missing shortly before the fire.

“My office assistant called me at 12:57am to say the chamber was on fire. But the CCTV system shows ‘no record’ from 12:27am onward.”

Noman added that the camera system was either damaged in the fire or its memory card had been removed before the blaze started.

He also questioned whether the fire could have been caused by an electrical short circuit or another accident.

“There is no cooking in the chamber. The employees do not smoke. No mosquito coil is used, and even the air conditioner was not running at night.”

He alleged that the fire started near the main entrance, blocking the exit and trapping the two employees.

Noman recalled Salam’s final call before it disconnected: “Sir, save me. The chamber is on fire. I can’t get out.”

Witnesses said that after trying to call for help before their phone lines went dead, the victims took shelter in a bathroom in an attempt to survive. They were rescued from there after the fire was brought under control.

Noman alleged that there had been an ongoing dispute over ownership of the flats.

On January 30, Ummehani filed a general diary with New Market Police Station over the dispute.

Speaking to The Daily Star, she claimed that her brother, Muaaz, was trying to occupy the flats she owned, including the one that was gutted in the fire.

Muaaz, however, said the fire was accidental. “If there is any suspicion of sabotage, police should investigate.”

He added that he lives in one of the flats with his family and evacuated when the fire broke out.

Regarding the missing CCTV footage, Muaaz claimed there had been internet connectivity issues in the building for several days, which may have disrupted the CCTV system.

Meanwhile, New Market Police Station OC Ayub said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire.

“The Fire Service has not yet said anything about the cause either. Whether it was an accidental fire or an act of sabotage will be investigated.”

Fire Service Assistant Director Kazi Nazimuzzaman said the building lacked a fire safety system and that commercial chambers were being operated in a residential building in violation of regulations.

“We are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.”