High-level probe body formed on Secretariat fire to submit primary report in 3 days: Rizwana

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today said the government has formed a high-powered committee to investigate the Secretariat fire incident and asked it to submit a primary report within the next three days.

"An emergency meeting was held with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus in the chair where the decision was taken that the high-level probe body will submit its preliminary report on the fire," she told a press briefing at Foreign Service Academy here this evening.

Rizwana said a senior secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs will lead the probe committee.

Other members of the committee are: the secretary of the Housing and Public Works Ministry, the inspector general of police (IGP), chief of Fire Service and Civil Defense (member secretary), explosive expert from armed forces, and three experts (civil, chemical and electronic engineers) Dr Tanvir Mansur, Dr Yasir Arafat and Yasir Arafat from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). 

The environment adviser said after identifying the reason and source of the inferno, the committee will submit its primary report within the next three days.

"We want a thorough and extensive probe into the incident," she said, adding that it is a matter of security of all. 

There are important documents at the secretariat and that is why the government is giving the highest importance to the matter, she said. 

Replying a question, Rizwana said they need to wait until the probe committee's report is available to answer all the relevant questions. 

She said the media will get the copy of the probe report once the investigation is completed.