Consensus Commission meeting : Participants rush out in panic due to fire alarm

While discussions between the National Consensus Commission and political parties were underway, the fire alarm suddenly went off. At that moment, Commission Vice Chair Professor Ali Riaz asked everyone to leave the hall. Attendees then rushed out in panic.

The incident occurred around 12:30 pm during the 20th day of the Commission’s second-phase dialogue at the Doel Hall of the Foreign Service Academy. A short while later, Professor Ali Riaz and others returned to resume the discussion.

It is believed that someone may have discarded a cigarette or some flammable object in part of the building, triggering the alarm.

Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) President Ruhin Hossain Prince said the authorities would surely investigate the matter.

Earlier, around 11:30 am, the BNP temporarily walked out of the meeting when discussions began on incorporating the appointment process for four constitutional bodies into the constitution.

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed left the meeting as soon as the topic was raised. The party had earlier said it would not participate in discussions on this matter. However, the BNP delegation returned to the talks later.

Today’s discussion included participation from 30 political parties, including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), Islami Andolon, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), and Gonosonghoti Andolon.

The meeting was chaired by Commission Vice Chair Ali Riaz and moderated by Monir Haider, special assistant to the Chief Adviser. Commission members Badiul Alam Majumder, Emdadul Haque, Safar Raj Hossain, Iftekharuzzaman, and Ayub Mia were also present.