Bangladesh orders probe into deadly building blaze

BANGLADESH: The Bangladesh interim government on Tuesday ordered a probe into a deadly fire at a multi-storey office block housing two private television channels and a leading newspaper, an official said.

The fire that raced through the 13-storey building in central Dhaka resulted in the deaths of at least two people, who leapt from the sixth floor to escape the flames, while scores had to be plucked from the roof by helicopter. Dozens were injured. Firefighters took four hours to bring the blaze under control and rescue hundreds of people trapped in the packed office block.

A top bureaucrat from the industries ministry would lead the probe team and submit a report by late Tuesday, the government said in a statement.

The probe was ordered as the country’s former Prime Minister and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Khaleda Zia said the fire could be arson.

“I demand an investigation into the fire. It could be an act of sabotage and a deep conspiracy,” Zia told reporters late Monday after visiting the fire-ravaged building.

The Ntv television network, its sister channel RTV, and the Bengali-language daily newspaper Amar Desh all have their offices in the building.

Dhaka, Tuesday, AFP