Adviser on Home Affairs Lt. Gen. urged the Fire Service to work with its reputation intact. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (retd.) said, currently there is no fire service station in 32 upazilas of Bangladesh. Fire service stations will be established in these upazilas as soon as possible.
He said this during an exchange of views with the officials and employees while visiting the Directorate of Fire Service and Civil Defense in Fulbaria of the capital on Monday (October 28).
The advisor said that among the departments under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Fire Service and Civil Defense Directorate have the highest reputation. Already, the activities of this institution have been appreciated at home and abroad. The officers and employees of this department, including fire fighters, have to work under many risks. Moreover, there is no fixed time limit for their work. Still they are working for the country and nation with great success. The company has no such failures, but they have some limitations.
Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd.) said that necessary steps will be taken to eliminate the manpower crisis of this department. The risk allowance is lower in the fire service than in other law enforcement agencies. Consideration will be given to increasing the risk allowance for the officers and employees of the Fire Service and Civil Defense Department.
He said, the physical work of fire fighters is a lot. That is why priority should be given to hiring skilled, qualified and relatively young fire fighters. Discipline at work is very important. Therefore, not only cautionary notice should be given, but exemplary punishment should also be given in two cases.
The Home Affairs Adviser said that the location for the training academy of Fire Service and Civil Defense Directorate has been decided in Ghazaria of Munshiganj district. But the place has not yet been made suitable for training. It will be made training-friendly as soon as possible.
In response to journalists’ questions about the modern equipment and machinery of the fire service, the advisor said, “We have modern technology equipment including drones.” But we may be a bit behind compared to developed countries. However, necessary steps are being taken in this regard as well.
In the meeting, among others, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defense Directorate, Brigadier General Muhammad Zaheed Kamal NDC, Additional Secretary of Security Services Department of Ministry of Home Affairs. Feroze Sarkar and others were present.
The advisor earlier visited the exhibition organized by the department on various equipments used in fire service work.