Tongi Industrial Area (Gazipur) Correspondent :The fire that broke out at Unit-2 of Drug International, located along Squibb Road in Tongi, Gazipur, has been completely extinguished. After inspecting the site, the local Member of Parliament suggested that the fire might have originated from a short circuit.
Firefighting operations concluded at 10:30 PM on Wednesday (October 14).
Shahin, the official in charge of the Tongi unit of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, confirmed to *Jugantor* that the fire has been brought fully under control.
Shahin Alam added that the extent of the damage is not yet known, and further details will be provided later. No investigation committee has been formed yet; that decision will be made by higher authorities. However, firefighting efforts were initially hindered by a shortage of water.
The fire broke out around 10:15 AM on Wednesday at Unit-2 of Drug International Company Limited, situated in the Tongi industrial area. Initially, attempts were made to control the blaze using the factory's own internal resources, but the fire intensified and spiraled out of control. Upon receiving the alert, a total of 21 units—comprising the Fire Service, the Army, SRB, BGB, and the Gazipur City Corporation (from Tongi, Savar, Gazipur, Ashulia, and Dhaka)—arrived at the scene. They managed to bring the fire under control by 1:35 PM, after approximately three and a half hours of effort. The incident caused significant disruption, bringing public transport and daily life to a standstill within a two-kilometer radius of the site. Five people, including two Fire Service personnel, fell ill due to the incident. At 2:10 PM, Brigadier General Sultanul Afrin Junaid, Director General of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, announced that the fire had been brought under control. He noted that the blaze affected the second and fourth floors of the seven-story building. The combustion of essential medicines, including injectables, caused respiratory distress. "Following the Prime Minister's directive, we immediately launched an emergency operation to contain the fire. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our 21 units, the fire was brought under control by 1:35 PM," he stated. However, he could not specify the cause of the fire or the extent of the damage.
Shafiqul Islam Badal, a manager at Drug International, stated that although attempts were made to control the blaze using the factory’s own firefighting systems, the intensity of the fire necessitated assistance from the Fire Service and other relevant agencies. He, too, was unable to provide information regarding the cause of the fire or the extent of the damage.
After inspecting the site, Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Md. Nurul Karim Bhuiyan expressed his gratitude to everyone involved for bringing the fire under control so quickly. He added that an investigative committee would be formed if deemed necessary.
Meanwhile, M. Manjurul Karim Rony, Member of Parliament for the Gazipur-2 constituency, remarked that the fire at Drug International Company Limited in Tongi originated from a short circuit. He shared this information with the media after visiting the scene. Rony noted, "Following the Prime Minister's directive, I and our party members worked to bring the fire under control; our team members have been on-site since this morning."
Regarding the creation of adequate water sources in Gazipur, he mentioned that they are currently clearing ponds, water bodies, and canals to ensure that water remains available in the event of any future fires.
During his visit, Rony spoke with factory authorities, Fire Service officials, and other stakeholders, reiterating that the fire was caused by a short circuit—though he noted that further details would emerge following a formal investigation.
Also present at the scene were several leaders and activists from the BNP and its affiliated organizations, including Rakib Uddin Sarkar Pappu (former Joint Convener of the Gazipur Metropolitan BNP), Sarkar Jabed Ahmed Suman (President of the Tongi East Thana BNP), Lecturer Bashir Uddin (Convener of the Tongi West Thana BNP), and Sirajul Islam Sathi (former Joint Secretary of the Gazipur Metropolitan Swechasebak Dal).
BP/TD
