Two people died after a fire ripped through two flats on the 12th floor of a 14-storey residential building in Dhaka's Katabon area early Saturday, prompting a two-hour rescue operation by firefighters.

The victims were identified as Md Jony, 24, from Kishoreganj Sadar, and Md Abdus Salam, 20, from Kahaloo upazila in Bogura, police said.

The blaze broke out at around 1:00 am at Al Baraka Tower on Elephant Road before rapidly spreading to adjacent portions of the building, affecting the 11th and 13th floors and trapping several occupants inside.

Six units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence responded to the emergency and brought the fire under control at 3:08 am, according to Fire Service duty officer Rafi Al Faruq.

Firefighters rescued Jony and Salam in critical condition from inside the building and rushed them to separate hospitals. Jony was taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, while Salam was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Doctors at both hospitals later declared them dead.

Mohammad Ayub, officer-in-charge of New Market Police Station, said the bodies have been kept at the morgue pending post-mortem examinations.

Police said the fire originated on the 12th floor, where several lawyers' chambers were located. Salam worked as a clerk to Abdullah Al Noman, a prosecutor at the International Crimes Tribunal.

According to police, the two victims had contacted relatives and emergency responders by mobile phone after becoming trapped inside the smoke-filled building, pleading to be rescued before communication with them was lost.

The Fire Service later confirmed that no one remained trapped inside the building after the blaze was extinguished and that no additional casualties had been reported.

Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire. Fire officials said an investigation has been launched to establish the origin of the blaze and assess the extent of the damage.

The overnight incident triggered panic among residents, many of whom evacuated the building as firefighters battled flames and dense smoke. Emergency personnel remained at the scene for several hours after the fire was brought under control to ensure there was no risk of reignition.