The probe body which was formed regarding the fire incident at Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Line’s clothing store on January 27 found that the fire was originated from cigarette smoked by a police official.
The report said the fire gutted police uniforms, jackets, shoes, mosquito nets and other cloths worth Tk17.93 lakh, said CMP’s Additional Commissioner (admin, traffic and finance) AKM Shahidur Rahman.
The report said Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Abdur Rahim, who is in service in Cox’s Bazar district and also the batchmate of the clothing store’s on-duty ASI Nurul Alam, entered into the clothing store with a cigarette in his hand to meet with his mate on January 27 before 20 minutes of the fire incident.
“After passing sometimes, both the ASIs went out from the store and within a few moments blaze was seen at the room,” the report added.
The four-member probe body, led by CMP’s Additional Deputy Commissioner (headquarters) Mohammad Shahidullah, submitted the report on January 31 before CMP Commissioner Abdul Jalil Mandal, said CMP’s Additional Commissioner.
According to the probe report, CMP suspended the on-duty ASI Nurul while CMP sent a letter to Cox’s Bazar district’s Superintendent of Police to take action against ASI Rahim, he said.
The report also recommended introducing more fire extinguishing measures in the clothing store and ensuring smoking free and electrical complexity free environment in such places.
Suspended ASI Nurul, Constable Jahid, Nadim and Nipun were injured at the fire that broke out at clothing store on the ground floor of Shahid Akram Hossain Barrack of Dampara Police Line of CMP in the port city on January 27.