Retired Major General ALM Fazlur Rahman, chairman of the independent investigation commission formed to investigate the BDR killings, has said that the domestic and foreign conspiracies involved in the BDR killings will be presented to the nation in a neutral and unbiased manner, without any influence.

He told reporters after the first meeting of the commission at the conference room of the Dhaka Battalion (5 BGB) at the BGB headquarters on Thursday (December 26) morning.

Former Director General of BDR ALM Fazlur Rahman said, we will not be influenced in any way. Since this is a national problem. There has never been such an incident in a thousand years that so many people have been killed in a short time. I want to inform the countrymen that we will take note of all those who were tortured and killed after the BDR mutiny. At the same time, we will try to heal their wounds with sincerity. We should not raise any questions after our work is done. We will be vigilant in this regard.

He said, "My request to the media is that you should promote our statement positively. Otherwise, the national objective may be disrupted. Today we had our first meeting. We got acquainted. There was a discussion on how we will work. We have to write some letters. We have informed the Home Ministry that we need to be given secretarial facilities. We need to be given an office. Today we cloned with the BGB Director General. He received us warmly. He gave us an office of the 5th Rifle Battalion to carry out our work." The former BDR DG said, "We have identified several issues. This is not like other commissions. This is a different kind of commission where we have been given the responsibility of identifying domestic and foreign conspiracies. We have asked for some additional issues, among which we have asked for personal and family security, transportation facilities, secretarial facilities and an office. The rank of the chairman of this commission should be equal to that of an adviser because he has to discuss with domestic and foreign people. So we can work with equal dignity." In addition, we have asked for the status of judges of the Supreme Court's Appellate Division for other members of the commission. Only after all these are in place will we start holding the next meetings and interviews. After each meeting, we will inform the countrymen about the issues that should be reported. We do not want to keep anyone in the dark.

When asked about the trial process, the commission head said, "We have asked for the involvement of four local and foreign legal experts. It would be better if we get a civil law expert from Bangladesh, a military and an international expert. We will ask two of them to be involved from Bangladesh. And since the foreign power has to be identified, the matter has become international. Therefore, we will apply to involve two criminal and international law experts."

Immediately after the commission was formed, a former BGB director general tried to leave the country. He was involved in various things before and after the BDR mutiny, including the investigation, in response to a question about whether he would be banned from leaving the country, he said, "We will discuss with the commission members. If we think that he needs to stay in the country for the sake of the investigation and the country, then we will take that decision."

When asked whether any country was involved in the BDR mutiny, he said, "We do not want to identify any country. We want to proceed impartially and impartially. In doing so, we will give our opinion only when there is documentary evidence that those responsible are responsible. Since there is talk of domestic and foreign conspiracies, those who are on our side will face questions from this commission. Besides, as you know, many people have fled the country after the August 5 revolution. We will contact all the countries they have gone to through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If not, then we will send a team to that country to make statements."

Hasina's agents hiding in the secretariat have burned files of various misdeeds, said Sarjis Alam, chief organizer of the National Citizens Committee and general secretary of the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation.

He made this comment in a post on his verified Facebook ID on Thursday (December 26) afternoon.

Sarjis Alam said that these bureaucrats are one of the sycophants of the Awami League in the past 16 years. Hasina had amassed her power in this country by relying on them.

He further said that whenever the revolutionaries started investigating Hasina's misdeeds, theft, looting, and corruption, Hasina's agents hiding in the secretariat burned files of various misdeeds.

To reform the state, first of all, the sycophants who are still hiding in the bureaucracy and administration must be uprooted.

"There is no time to be cautious," he said.

The Cabinet Division has formed a seven-member investigation committee into the fire incident in Building No. 7 of the Bangladesh Secretariat.

An office order in this regard was issued by the Cabinet Division on Thursday (December 26).

Cabinet Division Additional Secretary (District and Field Administration) Mohammad Khaled Rahim has been made the convener of the committee. The member-secretary of this committee will be a representative of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works (not below the rank of Joint Secretary).

The members will be - a representative of the Public Safety Department (not below the rank of Joint Secretary), a representative of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (not below the rank of Joint Secretary), a representative of the Local Government Department (not below the rank of Joint Secretary), a representative of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and a representative of the Fire Service and Civil Defense Department.

The committee's terms of reference state that it will investigate the source and cause of the fire, determine whether anyone is personally or professionally responsible for the fire accident, and submit recommendations to prevent such accidents.

The committee can co-opt one or more members if necessary. It also states that the committee will submit a report within the next 7 (seven) working days.

Earlier, Talha Bin Jasim, an officer of the media cell of the Fire Service Headquarters, confirmed that the fire at the Secretariat was completely extinguished at 11:45 am on Thursday (December 26).

The fire broke out at 1:52 am on Wednesday (December 25) in Building No. 7 of the Secretariat located in Segunbagicha in the capital. Fire Service sources said that after receiving the news of the fire, Fire Service personnel went to the scene and started extinguishing the fire at 1:54 am. Members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, RAB, Ansar and other voluntary organizations joined the rescue operation. After about 6 and a half hours of effort, the fire was brought under control at around 9:15 am on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a member of the Fire Service was killed when a truck ran over him while he was trying to put out the fire. His name is Sohanuzzaman Nayon. Fire Service Director General (DG) Brigadier General Zahed Kamal gave this information at a briefing at the scene around 6:45 am today.

After the fire broke out in the Secretariat, the power connection of all buildings except Building No. 4 has been disconnected. This is disrupting official work. Although the officials and employees have entered the Secretariat, everyone is seen returning home as there is no work.

There is no power connection in any building except Building No. 4 of the Secretariat till 12:30 pm on Thursday (December 26).

Related officials said that several ministries have been affected by the fire. There are offices of seven ministries in this 9-storey building, where no work is being done now. Ministry activities are also not going on in other buildings. The entire Secretariat has been left without power. Although generators are running in some places, there is no power in most places.

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Muhammad Zahed Kamal, Director General (DG) of the Fire Service and Civil Defense Department, told a press conference from the scene that 20 of their units and 211 fire personnel worked to control the fire. The power has been temporarily turned off to avoid accidents. He said that the sixth and seventh floors were most damaged, and the fire spread quickly through the power line.

Relatedly, the fire in Secretariat Building No. 7 in the capital's Segunbagicha was brought under control after about 6 and a half hours. The fire was brought under control around 8:15 am on Thursday (December 26). Fire Service Media Cell Officer Md. Shahjahan Sikder gave this information.

According to information provided by the Fire Service, they received the news of the fire at 1:52 am on Wednesday (December 25). Fire Service members reached the spot at 1:54 am the next day. Initially, eight units worked to control the fire. Later, the number of units was increased. Finally, 19 units of the Fire Service were working to control the fire. A member of the Fire Service was killed when a truck ran over him while trying to put out the fire. His name is Sohanuzzaman Nayan. Fire Service Director General (DG) Brigadier General Zahed Kamal gave this information in a briefing at the spot around 6:45 am today.

The Fire Service DG said that Sohanuzzaman Nayan was injured when he was hit by a truck while crossing the road to connect a water pump to a line. Doctors declared him dead after taking him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The extent of the damage in the fire was not known except for the death of a fire service member. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.