Mymensingh Medical College Hospital fire kills four as police bust abduction gang impersonating security agencies
A fire that broke out at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital resulted in four confirmed deaths on 15 September 2026, with senior government officials holding an overnight press briefing to address circulating reports of a stampede — which the hospital administration firmly denied. Days later, Mymensingh police rescued a kidnapped businessman and detained five suspects, including a former army member, who had been abducting victims by posing as members of the Detective Branch and the DGFI.
Hospital fire claims four lives; administration denies stampede deaths
A fire broke out at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, one of the principal public health institutions serving the Mymensingh division of Bangladesh. The blaze led to a chaotic scene at the facility, prompting a large-scale emergency response and the immediate involvement of senior government officials. Following the fire, authorities formally confirmed that four people had lost their lives as a direct result of the incident. The scale and setting of the fire raised immediate alarm, as hospitals house patients with limited mobility, including those in intensive care and postsurgical recovery wards, making safe evacuation particularly challenging.
The hospital administration moved quickly to address a second, deeply contentious matter. Reports had begun circulating in the hours after the fire that additional deaths had occurred when patients and visitors were caught in a dangerous rush to exit the building, resulting in a trampling incident during the evacuation. Hospital officials categorically denied those accounts, stating that no such stampede or trampling incident had taken place.
Senior officials gathered at the hospital in the early hours of the morning to address the press directly. Mymensingh Divisional Commissioner SM Humayun Kabir Sarker personally appeared before the media to provide an official account of what had occurred. Member of Parliament Abu Wahab Akand Wahid was also present at the briefing, reflecting the seriousness with which both the administration and elected representatives viewed the emergency. The media briefing was held at approximately 12:30 am on 15 September 2026, indicating that officials chose to address public concern and counter misinformation immediately rather than wait until daylight hours.
The decision to hold an overnight press conference reflected the urgency of the situation and concerns about rumours spreading rapidly in the hours after the fire. The confirmed death toll of four placed the incident among the most serious public safety emergencies recorded at the hospital. In the days that followed, questions continued to surface about whether the actual toll was higher, with some reports suggesting up to six fatalities, a figure that official sources did not confirm as the investigation remained ongoing. [7]
Police rescue kidnapped businessman; five arrested for impersonating DB and DGFI
Five individuals were taken into custody by police in Mymensingh in connection with the kidnapping of a local businessman. Those detained included a former army personnel, lending the case an unusual dimension given the military background of one of the accused. The group had allegedly carried out the abduction by presenting themselves as members of two separate and highly regarded security bodies: the Detective Branch of the Bangladesh Police and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, widely known by its acronym DGFI. Impersonating agents of these agencies would have allowed the perpetrators to approach and detain their target with minimal resistance, as ordinary citizens generally comply without question when individuals produce apparent credentials from official investigative or intelligence services.
According to accounts of the abduction, the victim — described as a young businessman — was made to sit between two individuals on a motorcycle. The vehicle then departed in the direction of a destination that was not disclosed to the victim, effectively placing him in a state of vulnerability and isolation from the moment the abduction began. During the period in which the businessman was held by the suspects, he was physically assaulted. The group also made explicit demands for ransom, making clear that financial extortion was a primary motive driving the kidnapping operation.
Police were ultimately able to locate and rescue the victim, and all five suspects were detained on a Friday afternoon. The arrest of a former army member among the group drew particular public attention and underscored the calculated nature of the operation. The use of false credentials to impersonate elite security personnel is a serious offence under Bangladeshi law. The incident highlighted concerns about criminal actors exploiting the institutional reputations of the DB and DGFI to commit crimes against businesspeople in Mymensingh, and the swift police response in freeing the victim and detaining all five suspects was noted as an effective intervention. [4]
Sources: [7] Prothom Alo English · [4] Prothom Alo English