A truck driver and his assistant were detained early Wednesday after their vehicle fatally ran over a firefighter at the Bangladesh Secretariat during efforts to extinguish a massive blaze.
The deceased, fire service worker Shoanur Zaman Noyon, 24, was assisting in firefighting operations when the incident occurred around 3:15am.
Shahbagh police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Khalid Mansur confirmed that the truck driver, Belal Hossain Sumon, 35, and his assistant, Farhad, 20, were detained after they tried to flee the scene.
"They were brought to the police station that night, and a case has been filed against them," the OC said.
According to witnesses, the truck accelerated and struck Nayan as he crossed the road to secure a water line for firefighting.
The incident occurred in front of the Public Works Department building near the Secretariat. Noyon was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital but was pronounced dead by attending doctors.
Witnesses said the truck driver deliberately increased speed while approaching the firefighter. However, the truck was stopped in front of the Secretariat when the public — gathered to watch the fire — barricaded its path.
The angry crowd attempted to assault the driver and assistant, but the situation was brought under control by army personnel stationed at the site.
Noyon, a member of the 61st batch of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, had joined the force in 2022. He was the younger of two siblings and hailed from Atpaniya village in Mithapukur upazila, Rangpur district.
The Fire Service reported receiving the alarm about the Secretariat fire in Building No. 7 at 1:52am on Wednesday. Within two minutes, eight fire units arrived at the scene. Eventually, 20 units worked together to bring the fire under control by 8:05am, following nearly six hours of relentless efforts.
Fire Service Officer Talha bin Jasim said: “The funeral for firefighter Shoanur Zaman Noyon will take place at the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters after the Zuhr prayer. Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury will be present at the ceremony.”
