Bangladesh Fire Service & Civil Defence

Firefighters at work in front of the Bangladesh Fire Service & Civil Defence Headquarters building

The Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense (FSCD) is organized into several departments, including operations, maintenance, training, planning, development, administration, and finance. These departments work together to provide comprehensive emergency services to the public.

During times of emergency, the FSCD also receives support from civilian volunteers, who provide additional assistance to the department. As of 2022, there were approximately 48,000 civilian volunteers registered with the FSCD.

Operation

Firefighters in action

Firefighting operations

• Fire suppression
• Technical rescue
• Hazardous materials mitigation [1]
• Airport fire and rescue
• Seaport fire and rescue

Fire prevention

• Inspection of buildings
• Hazardous materials safety measures
• Fire prevention inspection
• Fire protection management guidance
• Fire investigation

Emergency medical services

• First-aid education and training
• Emergency telephone consultation

Station

The department operates from a total of 495 fire stations dispersed throughout the country.

• 92 (A category stations)
• 288 (B category stations)
• 4 (B category land cum river stations)
• 100 (C category stations)
• 11 (River fire stations)

These stations serve as crucial response points in times of fire-related emergencies and enable the department to efficiently carry out its operations.

Bangladesh Fire Service & Civil Defence Headquarters

A CMP Ford F15 with No. 11 cab possibly the first unit of the service

The then British government created Fire Service in 1939–40 in undivided India. During the Partition, the Calcutta Fire Service was created for the city of Calcutta at the regional level and the Bengal Fire Service for undivided Bengal. In 1947, the fire service in the region was renamed the East Pakistan Fire Service.

Two decommissioned Merryworth Bedford TK water tenders

During World War II, the Department of Civil Defense in India was initially created with Air Raid Precautions (ARP) at an early stage and the Department of Civil Defense at a later stage in 1951 through legal process. For the purpose of work management, a Rescue Department was created under the Roads and Highways Department.

On April 9, 1981, the then Fire Service Directorate and the Civil Defense Department merged to form the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defense.[2][3][4][5] Later the Rescue Department was included in the Department of Fire Service & Civil Defence. The FSCD is currently 40 years old.

• Director General
• Director
• Deputy Director / Principal
• Assistant Director / Vice Principal
• Deputy Assistant Director / Instructor / Senior Staff officer / PO cum Adjutant
• Senior Station Officer / Assistant Instructor / Officer in charge / Store Officer
• Warehouse Inspector
• Station Officer / Staff officer / Junior Instructor / Mobilizing Officer
• Sub Officer
• Leader
• Firefighter / Nursing attendant / Diver
• Driver

Aguner Nona Jol is a Bangladeshi drama that provides a dramatized portrayal of the Bangladesh Fire Service & Civil Defence (FSCD) from the perspective of a fictional Senior Station Officer (SSO). The drama features renowned actors Riaz and Rumana Rashid Ishita, and was directed by Hamed Hasan Noman. Notably, members of the FSCD also served as actors and advisers for the production, providing technical expertise and guidance to ensure that the portrayal of the emergency service was accurate and authentic. Through its depiction of the SSO's experiences, Aguner Nona Jol seeks to provide insight into the challenges faced by members of the FSCD in their mission to protect public safety and respond to emergencies.