Nearly a year after a devastating fire ripped through the Bangladesh Secretariat, destroying vital documents, the government has decided to undertake a major modernisation project to strengthen fire safety and ensure uninterrupted power supply at the Secretariat and other key government installations.
The project, titled “Modernisation of Existing Electrical-Mechanical and Fire Safety Equipment to Ensure Fire Safety at the Bangladesh Secretariat, Transport Pool, Ministers’ Apartment and Secretary’s Residence,” will be implemented by the Public Works Department under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.
With an estimated cost of Tk 112.87 crore, the project will be fully financed through government funds. Its implementation period has been fixed from January 2026 to December 2027.
The project will cover the Bangladesh Secretariat, the Ministers’ Apartment at Bailey Road, the Secretary’s Residence at Eskaton and the Transport Pool area under Dhaka South City Corporation.
According to the project document, the main objectives are to ensure a sustainable and uninterrupted electricity supply and to establish a fire-safe working environment at these key government installations.
As part of the project, outdated electrical substations at Secretariat buildings No-3, 4, 7 and 8, along with the RMU building, will be replaced and modernised.
Modern fire-fighting systems will be installed at Secretariat buildings No-2 to 11, the Transport Pool, the Ministers’ Apartment and the Secretary’s Residence.
Fire at Bangladesh Secretariat building brought under control after six hours
The project also includes replacement and modernisation of the generator at Secretariat building No-7, installation of ELT cables and other ancillary works.
Service cables at buildings No-3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 and the Transport Pool will be upgraded to meet increasing power demand. Old lifts at Secretariat buildings No-4 and 6 will be replaced, while fire lifts will be installed at the Ministers’ Apartment and the Secretary’s Residence.
Lightning protection systems will be modernised at Secretariat buildings No-2 to 11 and the Transport Pool. Public address (PA) systems will be supplied and installed at Secretariat buildings No-2 to 11, the 20-storey building and the Transport Pool.
The project further includes installation of cable ladders at buildings No-4, 6 and 7, laying of HT express lines from the GIS station to various substations, modernisation of HVAC systems at the Ministers’ Apartment and Secretary’s Residence, and construction of water reservoirs for pump houses and fire hydrants at the Bangladesh Secretariat and Ministers’ Apartment.
Steel foot-over bridges will be constructed between buildings No-5 and 6 and between buildings No-6 and 7. To facilitate the installation of fire lifts, steel lift cores with curtain walls and other related works will be undertaken at the Ministers’ Apartment and Secretary’s Residence.
Officials said Bangladesh Secretariat currently comprises 10 buildings, eight of which were constructed before independence.
Over the years, the creation of new ministries and divisions and the expansion of existing ones have significantly increased manpower, resulting in higher electricity demand and added pressure on outdated electrical and mechanical systems.
They added that existing systems at the Ministers’ Apartment and Secretary’s Residence are old, costly to maintain and inadequate from a fire safety perspective, while the absence of fire lifts in multi-storey buildings has further increased risks.
The Planning Commission, in its recommendation, said the project would play a crucial role in ensuring uninterrupted power supply and creating a fire-safe working environment at the Secretariat, Transport Pool, Ministers’ Apartment and Secretary’s Residence once implemented.
In December 2024, a devastating fire gutted four floors of a building at the Bangladesh Secretariat, destroying crucial files, documents, computers, furniture and other equipment belonging to six divisions under five ministries. The blaze also caused extensive damage to the building’s walls and floors.
The affected offices included the Road Transport and Highways Division, two divisions of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, the Posts and Telecommunications Division, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Fire at Bangladesh Secretariat sparks concerns of sabotage
After nearly 10 hours of strenuous efforts by 19 firefighting units, the fire was finally brought under control.
During the operation, a firefighter was killed after being run over by a truck while setting up hose pipes in the early hours.