A total of 63 students were hospitalised following a fire that erupted at an Islamic religious school in Bangladesh on Tuesday. The incident occurred at the Jamiatul Ashrafia Madrasa, situated in the central Narayanganj district, approximately 16 kilometres southeast of the capital, Dhaka.
Abdullah Al Arefin, the deputy assistant director of the Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence, reported that the blaze started on the second floor of the school's five-story building. Firefighters dispatched four units to the scene and successfully brought the flames under control. While the majority of the school's 1,300 students—most of whom are boarders—managed to escape without sustaining burns, many required medical attention due to smoke inhalation.
All 63 of the affected students were transported to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka for treatment. Dr. Sultan Mahmud Sikdar, a resident surgeon at the facility, confirmed that while none of the students suffered physical burns, all were experiencing respiratory distress resulting from smoke inhalation. Four students were admitted to the intensive care unit in critical condition, with one individual placed on life support.
According to initial findings from the fire service, the blaze originated in the library and office area of the madrasa. Officials believe the fire may have been sparked by an electrical short circuit.
