Dhaka, Sept 25, 2025 (BSS) - The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief today provided Tk 13 lakh in financial assistance to the families of deceased and injured firefighters who were engaged in extinguishing a fire at a chemical warehouse in Tongi, Gazipur.

Officers of the Department of Disaster Management, on behalf of the ministry, handed over the cheque to the families of firefighters who were killed or injured at its office in the city, according to a press release.

Families of firefighters Shamim Ahmed and Nurul Huda, who died while undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, received Tk 5 lakh each.

In addition, cheques totaling Tk 3 lakh were handed over to the Fire Service and Civil Defence authority to provide financial assistance to warehouse inspector Khandaker Jannatul Nayem and firefighter Muhammad Joy Hasan.

According to the release, Khandaker Jannatul Nayem, who is undergoing treatment for 42 percent burns, will receive Tk 2 lakh, and firefighter Muhammad Joy Hasan, who is undergoing treatment for five percent burns, will receive Tk 1 lakh.

On September 23, four firemen from Tongi Fire Station and a factory worker were burned while trying to bring a fire under control at a chemical godown at Sahara Market, Tongi, Gazipur.

Apart from this, Director General (DG) of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Directorate, Brigadier General Muhammad Jahed Kamal, today paid a call on Adviser of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry Faruk E Azam, Bir Protik, at the latter’s office in the Bangladesh Secretariat.

They discussed fire incidents, earthquakes, other natural disasters, and rescue operations during the meeting.

The adviser assured the DG of the Fire Service of full support in procuring anti-fire uniforms to ensure firefighters’ safety, along with modern equipment for the department.

He also pledged support for the overall modernization of the force and training programs for firefighters, the release said.