A mysterious fire broke out at the old building of the Jessore Registry Office on Thursday night, destroying centuries-old documents, including volume books, balam registers, index books, and other important records.

The blaze started around 9:00 pm in the old office building. Within an hour, historical documents dating back to the British era were reduced to ashes.

Firoz Ahmed, Senior Station Officer of Jessore Fire Service and Civil Defence, said two units reached the site shortly after the alert. The building gate was locked, and no staff were present inside. Firefighters broke the lock to enter and managed to control the fire after about an hour.

Officials confirmed that two rooms housing old records were completely destroyed, and remaining documents were damaged by water used to extinguish the flames. The full extent of the loss will be determined after investigation.

Shamsuzzaman Milan, former officer of the Jessore Sub-Registry Office, said the building stored critical documents from 1741 to 1940, covering Jessore and surrounding areas. He noted that the building was rarely opened, and most documents have now been completely destroyed, with the remainder damaged by water.

Sohrab Hossain, President of the Jessore Document Writers’ Association, also visited the site. He said the night guard, named Hira, was not present when the fire broke out. Local shopkeepers described the incident as mysterious, noting that there was no electrical connection in the building, ruling out short circuits as the cause. They suspect the fire may have been set deliberately.

Authorities are investigating the incident to determine the exact cause and assess the total damage.