Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan today said the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Fire Academy will be established in Gazaria of Munshiganj district to ensure modern training facilities for the firemen.

“Already the acquisition work of 100.92 acres of land in Gazaria is at final stage and 1,000 members of fire services will get training at the academy at a time,” he said at a programme on the occasion of Fire Service and Civil Defense Week held at Mirpur Fire Service Training complex.

The government has sent 1,169 members of fire service abroad for training purpose and once the new academy is opened we will be able to provide training to the members of fire service there, said the minister.

Currently, the Fire Service and Civil Defense has the capability to conduct rescue operation in 20-storey buildings and the government is trying to strengthen the capability of fire service like those in developed countries, he added.

Besides, the number of ambulances has been increased to 190 from 63 and steps will be taken to provide ambulances to all fire service stations, said the minister.

The government also procured some equipment for extinguishing fire and conducting rescue operation like remote control firefighting units and drones.

There are some 456 fire service stations across the country and some 109 more will be built within the next fiscal year, he said.

Besides, the construction work of 11 modern fire stations in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Chattogram industrial area, and Rooppur Power Plant area is underway.

The minister also said that fire service has around 13,400 members and that a project has been launched to increase that number to 25,000.

thedailystar