Four Bangladeshi expatriates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) died in a devastating fire at a sofa manufacturing factory early Wednesday (local time).

The deceased---Md Yusuf Miah, 45, Tarek Hossain Badal, 42, Md Rasel, 26, were residents of Tarabaria village at Dumuria union in Senbag upazila of Noakhali and another from Nangolkot in Cumilla.

According to the families, a fire broke out at Yusuf Miah-owned sofa manufacturing factory in the UAE’s Sharjah around 3:45am (local time), leaving them dead.

Rasel’s mother said her son went to the UAE with the aim to bring solvency to the family at the cost of Tk 7 lakh last year.

Expressing concern over the future of his one and a half-year-old daughter and wife, the mother questioned, “What will be the future of the family now?”

Members of two other families also expressed their deep shock at the death of the dear ones. They are worried about their future.

Tajmin Alam Tuli, acting upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Senbag, has already visited the families.

She said the families urged the government to take initiative to bring the bodies back immediately.

“So far whatever has been learnt that the bodies were burnt to ashes and those won’t be identified without DNA test, and it will take much time to bring back after ending all procedures,” Tuli said.

Abu Salek, an officer at the district Manpower and Employment Bureau, said the families or local Bangladeshi community abroad can take steps to bring back the bodies with the help of the embassy.

The government will take all responsibilities to bring bodies if families do not have any financial capability, he said.

Financial assistance from the government is given to the victims’ families whenever bodies arrive home from abroad, the official added.