Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (retd.) urged the officers and employees of the Fire Service and Civil Defense Directorate to keep the earned reputation intact.
The advisor made this call during an exchange of views with the officers and employees while visiting the Directorate of Fire Service and Civil Defense in the capital’s Fulbaria on Monday (October 28, 2024) morning.
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. He said that the institution has no such failure but they have some limitations.
Lieutenant General Md. 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. Moreover, necessary steps will be taken to eliminate the manpower crisis of this department. The fire service has a lower risk allowance than other law enforcement agencies, the adviser said. He said, the issue of increase in risk allowance for the officers and employees of Fire Service and Civil Defense Department will be considered.
The adviser also said that 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. He said, discipline in the job 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.
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 Md Feroze Sarkar and others were present in the exchange meeting.
The advisor earlier visited the exhibition organized by the department on various equipments used in fire service work.
