Property worth about Tk 5 lakh was gutted in a fire at Zamilur Rahman Hostel of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College on Saturday. Jalilur Rahman, duty officer of Barisal Fire Service Station, said the fire originated from an electric short circuit at room 210 and damaged property worth about Tk 5 lakh. M Sharfuzzaman Rubel, superintendent of the hostel, said Zubayer Hossain, Fahad, Sumon and Shamim, students of the 41st batch, were residing in the room.
After attending their classes, the students returned to their room at about 1:00pm and found that the fire destroyed their books and other valuables.
Zubayer said three laptops, three mobile phone sets, books worth Tk 80 thousand, four beds, three hangers, one rice cooker and Tk 22 thousand were damaged by the fire.
After hearing the news, engineer Shafiqul Islam Patwary and fieldwork assistant Mintu Khan of Public Works Department, which is responsible for the construction and supervision of the hostel building, rushed to the spot.
But, the agitating students confined them in a hostel room for more than an hour. Later, the hostel superintendent with help of other teachers rescued them.
The hostel super said a probe body would be formed to investigate the fire incident. The affected students would be given financial help and compensation, he added.
-With New Age input
