Dhaka: At least 52 people were killed and over 50 others injured in a massive fire that broke out at a six-storey juice factory outside Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, according to media reports on Friday.

The fire broke out at around 5pm on Thursday at the Shezan juice factory in Naryanganj's Rupganj, according to fire officials.

It is suspected that the fire originated from the ground floor of the building and spread quickly due to the presence of chemicals and plastic bottles.

Fifty-two people have died and over 50 others were injured in the fire, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

Several workers jumped off the building to escape the devastating fire, it said.

Eighteen firefighting units were struggling to douse the fire at the factory building of Hashem Foods Limited.

People gathered in front of the building in search of their loved ones who are still missing. Of the many missing, the identities of 44 missing workers have been confirmed, the newspaper said.

Rescued workers and relatives alleged that the front gate and only exit of the factory remained locked at the time of the fire. They also claimed that the building had no proper fire safety measures in place.

Deputy Director of Narayanganj District Fire Service Abdullah Al Arefin said it will take some time to fully control the fire. Until the fire is doused, it is not possible to say exactly how much damage has occurred and the cause of the fire, he added.

A five-member probe committee has been formed by the district administration to look into the incident.

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New Delhi: The Congress party has stood by Pawan Khera, the Chairman of the party’s Media and Publicity Department, expressing confidence that regardless of hurdles like politics of threat and intimidation, justice would emerge victorious.

Khera was denied anticipatory bail by the Gauhati High Court on Friday in the case filed against him by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma for alleging that she possessed not only multiple passports but also undisclosed properties abroad.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has said in a post in Hindi on his ‘X’ account, “The entire Indian National Congress stands in solidarity with Pawan Khera, the Chairman of its Media and Publicity Department. The process to challenge the Gauhati High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court is underway.” In the post, which he put up on Friday, Ramesh has added, “We are confident that justice will prevail over the politics of threats, intimidation, and harassment.”

Bhuyan Sarma has lodged also an FIR seeking legal action against Pawan Khera for his allegations that she possesses passports of three countries and owns a company in the US, which had invested Rs. 50,000 crores. She has filed criminal cases against the Congress leader at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).