Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan does not believe the fire at the BM Container Depot in Sitakunda was 'just' an accident, report agencies.
"Something must have happened," he said. "Otherwise, we would not have lost so many lives. That is what I believe," he said.
"The investigation will help us to determine if the incident occurred due to negligence or is an act of intentional sabotage," Khan added.
The minister came up with the remarks while talking to journalists after attending funeral prayers for fireman Md Shakil Tarafdar, who lost his life in the inferno, at the fire service headquarters in the city on Tuesday.
Two high-level probe committees have been formed to investigate the causes of the fire.
The firefighters rushed to the scene after the blaze started at the depot on Saturday night. But a huge explosion rocked the site, engulfing many of the rescuers in flames.
Some containers at the depot are still burning two days after the incident. In addition to firefighters, army and navy personnel also launched efforts to put out the fire.
At least two dozen chemical containers were at the depot when the blaze started. The fire service believes the chemicals were the main cause of the fire's intensity.
On Monday, the district administration revised down the initial death toll from 49 to 41, saying some bodies had been counted twice. The fire service says it has recovered the remains of two more people from the depot on Tuesday.
Nine of the victims have been identified as firefighters.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed said on Tuesday legal action will be taken against those responsible for the BM Container Depot fire after receiving the probe reports.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police has been directed to collect all kinds of evidence from the spot, he told reporters after visiting the container depot at Sitakunda and the injured victims at Chattogram Medical College and Hospital (CMCH).
