United News of Bangladesh

For burn victims survival often hinges on a race against time but for those living far from the capital in Bangladesh race is increasingly unwinnable. Bangladesh saw 140 deaths in 26,659 fire incidents reported across the country in 2024, according to Fire Service and Civil Defence. Access to specialised burn treatment outside Dhaka remains extremely limited, forcing critically injured patients to rely on the overburdened National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the capital, while the actual need is even higher. A government project to set up 100-bed burn and plastic surgery units at five major medical college hospitals — in Sylhet, Barishal, Rangpur, Rajshahi and Faridpur — was supposed to bring some changes. But the long-awaited project is facing major delays and a significant cost hike. Initially approved in January 2022, the project was scheduled for completion by June, 2025 at a cost of Tk 456.08 crore. But delays, redesigns, and a staggering 78.96% cost hike — raising the revised budget to Tk 816.19 crore — have pushed the completion deadline to June 2028. Of the revised allocation, Tk 464.74 crore will come from the government exchequer (GOB) while Tk 351.45 crore will be provided as a loan from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD). The government initiated the project in 2017 and it was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in December 2021. Administrative approval followed in April 2022. The original plan envisioned completion by June 2025. According to a project document obtained by UNB, the delay stems from a series of unforeseen challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, site selection complications, and revisions in the project design. Initially, the plan involved vertical expansion and floor renovations in existing structures, but structural flaws — including cracks in parts of the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital premises — forced a shift to constructing entirely new buildings. Read: Grief and gloom grip burn institute as families await news after BAF crash However, the scope was later changed to construct entirely new dedicated buildings at all five medical college hospitals. Under the revised plan, 11-storey foundation structures with six floors initially at Sylhet, Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Barishal medical colleges. In Faridpur, a nine-storey building on an 11-storey foundation will be built due to land constraints. The new facilities will each cover over 8,400 square meters and house state-of-the-art burn and plastic surgery units. Officials said construction costs surged primarily because of the updated Public Works Department (PWD) rate schedule in 2022 which significantly raised civil works estimates. “The cost escalation became unavoidable. Besides, the SFD requested a fresh cost reassessment as the original agreement was signed nearly five years ago,” a senior Planning Commission official said. The revision also incorporates five new expenditure codes for special facilities, telecommunication equipment, stamps, and other operational needs, further contributing to the cost hike, he said. Experts and healthcare professionals say the delay is causing suffering to burn victims outside Dhaka. Read more: 3 of a family burnt in explosion from ‘gas leak’ in Dhaka As there is no specialised burn unit in these districts, critical patients need to be rushed to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the capital which is already overwhelmed with cases. “Every day we receive critical burn patients from across the country and unfortunately many of them die because they do not get timely treatment closer to home,” said a senior doctor at the Burn Institute seeking anonymity. “The establishment of regional burn units is crucial to saving lives,” he added. Doctors on the frontlines say the delay is costing lives. “The first four to five hours after a burn injury — the golden hours — are crucial. But we often fail to treat patients in time due to the lack of local facilities. Many patients die on the way to Dhaka,” said a doctor of the burn unit at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Once completed, the project will benefit nearly 6 crore people in the five districts and surrounding areas, providing affordable, quality treatment for burn and reconstructive surgery cases. It is also expected to reduce the pressure on Dhaka hospitals. The Planning Commission, in its review, has recommended forwarding the revised proposal to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval to fast-track implementation. Read more: 8 burnt in Dinajpur gas cylinder fire Officials stressed that timely completion is essential to strengthening the country’s burn and plastic surgery treatment network, improving emergency response capacity and saving lives. In Bangladesh, burns are mainly caused by fire, electricity, and chemicals, with thermal and electrical burns being the most common. Recent incidents, like the Uttara plane crash and fires in markets and homes, have added to the growing number of burn victims in urgent need of care.

Three people, including a woman, were killed and another was injured as a private car carrying them veered off Mawa Expressway in Sreenagar upazila of Munshiganj district early Thursday.  The identities of the victims are yet to be known.  Shafiqul Islam, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Munshiganj, said the Dhaka-bound private car overturned after hitting the railing of a road divider on the Expressway around 6am.  4 killed as bus hits truck on Dhaka-Mawa Expressway   The accident left two dead on the spot and two more injured, he said, adding that the injured were rushed to Sreenagar Upazila Health Complex where physicians declared another dead.  Abdul Quader, officer-in-charge of Hasarda Highway Police Station, said traffic on the Dhaka-bound lane, which was disrupted following the accident, become normal around 7am after the accident-hit vehicle was removed. The bodies of the victims were handed over to police, he added.  

A training aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) crashed in Dhaka’s Uttara area on Monday afternoon, leaving at least one dead and an unspecified number of people, including students injured. Lima Khanam, a duty officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) control room, said the crash was reported at Milestone School and College around 1:18 pm and one death has so far been confirmed. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene immediately, she said. Dr Abhijit, director of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said at least 50 injured people were brought to the hospital and the number is rising.   An energy service unit has been opened to provide treatment to the aircraft crash victims, he said. Witnesses reported that the aircraft burst into flames upon impact, leaving an unspecified number of people injured. Several of the injured were rescued and taken to the Burn Institute in Dhaka, while others were airlifted due to the severity of their injuries.  A number of injured students were also admitted to Uttara Adhunik Medical College Hospital (BMSRI). The fate of the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Toukir Islam Sagar, remains unclear as of filing this report. Alaska plane crash kills 10 as wreckage found on Sea Ice Talha Bin Zashim, media cell station officer at FSCD headquarters, said eight firefighting units from Uttara, Tongi, Pallabi, Kurmitola, Mirpur, and Purbachal were working to control the blaze and assist in the rescue effort. A BAF rescue team also reached the site and joined the operation, UNB’s correspondent reports. Several ambulances arrived at the location to transport the injured, while local residents and Milestone College students were seen helping emergency responders. To assist with rescue efforts and maintain order, two platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed, said Shariful Islam, public relations officer at the BGB headquarters. A large crowd gathered at the crash site, which has caused disruptions to rescue operations.

More than 100 shops were gutted in a devastating fire at Sreenagar Bazar of Munshiganj district early Friday. The fire-affected shops were in Lungi Patti, Baina Patti, Mithai (sweetmeats) Patti, Dudh (milk) Patti, Seka Ruti Patti, and Murgi (chicken) Patti. Deputy Assistant Director of Munshiganj Fire Service and Civil Defence Shafiqul Islam said the fire started from a yogurt shop adjacent to the Mithai Patti around 2am and spread soon. initially the night guards accompanied by others tried to douse the flame, they failed and sought help from the Fire Service, he said.Five firefighting units rushed to the spot and doused the flame after around six hours of efforts at 8am, the fire service official said. The cause of the fire could not be known yet, he said. Bailey Road fire doused after a two hour-long battle

A rescue team from the Fire Service and Civil Defence has been deployed to Myanmar to assist in search and rescue operations following a devastating earthquake. The 10-member rescue team departed from Dhaka at 11:35am on Tuesday aboard a special flight as part of a joint humanitarian assistance mission coordinated by the Bangladesh Armed Forces Division. Bangladesh's 55-member rescue, medical team arrives in quake-hit Myanmar Led by Deputy Director of Dhaka Division, Md Saleh Uddin, the team comprises three officers and seven firefighters, according to a press release. Notably, the Fire Service and Civil Defence had previously sent a rescue team to Turkey in 2023 to aid in post-earthquake recovery efforts.

At least four people were killed and two others injured after a fire broke out in a hotel building at Shahjadpur Bus Stand, Dhaka, on Monday. The fire originated on the first floor of the five-storey building, which houses Saudia Residential Hotel on the second to fifth floors. The Golden Tulip Beauty Parlour is located on the first floor, where the fire is believed to have started. According to Talha bin Jasim, station officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters, the bodies of four victims were recovered from different areas of the building. One was found inside a hotel bathroom, while three others were discovered on a locked staircase leading to the rooftop, suggesting they may have suffocated while attempting to escape. Firefighters received the first distress call at 12:17 pm, and two units were dispatched immediately. The blaze was brought under control by 1:03 pm and fully extinguished by 1:40 pm, said Rashed Bin Khalid, duty officer at the fire control room. Speaking at the scene, Assistant Director of Fire Service Kazi Nozmozzaman stated that the exact cause of the fire is still unknown, but initial suspicions suggest it started inside the beauty parlour. He reiterated that the locked staircase door may have played a role in the victims' deaths. Rafiqul Islam, owner of Ruma Digital Studio on the ground floor, said he was outside when the fire broke out. Upon returning, he found the blaze had started in the beauty parlour. Later, he went upstairs and discovered an elderly man’s body in a hotel bathroom, likely a victim of suffocation. The deceased were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for postmortem examination. One of the victims was identified as Miron Jamadar, 55, from Bhandaria, Pirojpur. His brother-in-law, Hiron Talukdar, confirmed that Miron had checked into the hotel with his son, Munim, 23, earlier that morning. Munim was not present at the time of the fire, as he had been staying elsewhere. Authorities are investigating the cause of the incident.

Bangladesh saw 140 deaths in 26,659 fire incidents reported across the country in 2024, according to Fire Service and Civil Defence on TuesdaySome 341 people were injured in fires caused by electric faults, burning cigarette butts, stove-related issues, and gas accidents, said FSCD Station Officer Talha bin Zasim on Tuesday.Valuables worth Tk 446. 27 crore were also gutted, he said. 11 houses gutted in Natore Fire However, the Fire Service managed to save property worth over Tk 1974 crore through their prompt response. Besides, two fire service personnel died and 37 were injured while performing duties. Furthermore, the unruly action of public led to the vandalism of 34 fire service vehicles and torching of eight others.Of the total fire incidents, 33.98% caused by electrical faults, 15.52% caused by burning pieces of bidi or cigarettes, 11.46% from stoves, 2.95% from crowds, and 2.84% due to children playing with fire. Other causes included gas leaks, cylinder explosions, and fireworks-related incidents.Residential buildings were the hardest hit, accounting for 26.74% of the fires. Other notable incidents occurred in haystacks (16.92%), kitchens (9.04%), and various industries, including garment factories and shopping malls. A total of 268 fires occurred in vehicles, excluding buses, and there were also fire incidents on trains and launches. Fire in Mirpur Bata: No casualties reportedThe highest number of fire incidents occurred in the months of February, March, April, and May, with an average of 102 fires reported daily during these months.Beyond fire incidents, the Fire Service and Civil Defence conducted extensive rescue operations, saving 750 lives and rescuing 303 animals through diving operations. In total, the Fire Service handled 9,128 accident rescues, including 6,408 road accidents. Hazaribagh leather warehouse fire extinguished, fire safety negligence highlightedTo curb future fire disasters, the Fire Service and Civil Defence launched 147 mobile courts in 2024, fining institutions a total of Tk 2.58 crore. Besides, they carried out 18,983 fire safety drills and provided training to over 1.47 lakh people across the country.

A fire that broke out on the "MV Bangali" launch in Dhaka’s Shyambar Launch Terminal was brought under control on Tuesday. Five firefighting units brought the fire under control at 1:45 pm on Tuesday, said Talha Bin Zasim Station Officer of FSCD headquarters media cell. Earlier, the fire broke out at 12:55 pm. No passengers were on the launch at the time of the fire, added the fire official.

The fire which broke out at Godown slum in Dhaka’s Banani area has been brought under control. The fire started at the slum around 4:05 pm on Sunday and engulfed it, said Talha bin Jasim, station officer of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD). TK Group’s super board manufacturing factory catches fire in Munshiganj On information, six firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control around 5:33 pm. A team of Bangladesh Army also joined with the fire service teams, said a press release of ISPR. Fire in Old Dhaka’s Chawkbazar; chemical warehouse burnt down However, the origin of the fire and extent of damages could not be ascertained yet.

A fire broke out in a super board manufacturing factory of TK Group in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj on Sunday (March 24, 2024) afternoon. Talhan Bin Zasim, station officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD-media cell) headquarters, said the fire began in the board factory in Jamaldi area around 1: 10 pm. Read more: Fire at 18-storey building in Dhaka’s Gulshan doused On information, ten firefighting units rushed to the spot and were trying to tame the flame, he said. The origin of the fire could not be known immediately, he added. Read more: Fire in Old Dhaka’s Chawkbazar; chemical warehouse burnt down