A fire that broke out early today in building number 7 of the Secretariat in the capital's Segunbagicha area has been doused after 10 hours of frantic efforts.
At least 19 firefighting units were deployed at the scene and the fire was brought under control at 8:05am, said Shahjahan Shikder, acting officer (Media Cell), of Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarter.
It was completely doused around 11:45am, fire service sources said.
According to them, the firefighters received the report of fire at 1:52am. and arrived at the scene by 1:54am.
Members of the army, police, BGB and the Armed Police Battalion (APBN) were also present at the site, assisting with fire control efforts.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Earlier, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence Brigadier General Muhammad Jahed Kamal told reporters at the scene that 19 units had been deployed, but only 10 units could physically operate because some vehicles faced difficulty entering the area.
The fire had spread from the fifth to the eighth floor, he said.
Asked why it took so long to bring the fire under control, he said that it was a confined and restricted area. All the rooms were locked, and the windows were sealed. "We had to break in and spray water in the rooms," he said.
The firefighters tried to prevent the fire from spreading further and also minimize damage, the DG said.