Narayanganj fire
Death toll from Narayanganj re-rolling mill explosion rises to 4
Three more workers died after they were injured in an explosion that took place at a re-rolling mill of Bhulta Gauchia area of Rupganj upazila in Narayanganj taking the toll to 4, police said on Friday.
Elias Ali (35) and Alamgir (30) of Kishoreganj’s Itna upazila and Neyon (20) of Rajbari succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (SHNIBPS), Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of DMCH police outpost, said.
Earlier on Thursday, a worker named Shankar was declared dead by the doctor after being rushed to the hospital. The conditions of three others remain critical.
Also Read: Death toll from Narayanganj re-rolling mill explosion rises to 3
Elias died on Thursday night while undergoing treatment. SM Ayub Hossain, a resident surgeon at the Burn Institute, said he suffered 98 percent burns.
Meanwhile, Neyon breathed his last at around 10am on Friday morning at the burn institute. He suffered 97 percent burns. Alamgir succumbed to his injuries at around 12:30 pm. 95% of his body was burnt, according to the resident doctor.
The bodies have been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy.
1 year ago
Four of family suffer burns in Narayanganj fire
Four members of a family suffered burn injuries in a fire caused by a leakage in a cooking gas pipeline in Narayanganj's Fatullah union in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.
The injured have been identified as rickshaw puller Anwar Hossain, 40, his wife Rozina Akhter, 33, and their sons -- Roman, 17, and Rohan, 9.
Read: Two electrocuted to death in Natore
Of them, three are being treated at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said Alam Hossain, senior station officer of Fatullah Fire Service Station.
The fire broke out at the family's tin-shed house before dawn due to the leakage in the cooking gas pipeline, when the four were fast asleep, he said.
On information, a fire tender was rushed to the spot to douse the flames.
Read: 63-yr-old killed over property feud in Chuadanga
SM Ayub Hossain, a resident surgeon at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said Anwar sustained 17% burns, Rozina 14% and Rohan 35%.
However, Roman has been released after administration of first aid.
2 years ago
42-yr-old Narayanganj fire victim dies
A 42-year-old man who sustained burns in a fire triggered by a cooking gas cylinder blast in Narayanganj on Monday, has succumbed to his injuries.
Md Solaiman passed away around 10.30pm Monday at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said Dr SM Ayub, a resident surgeon.
The fire broke out at Solaiman's house in Kumar Para village of Araihazar upazila in the early hours of Monday, leaving him and his three family members injured.
Also read: 4 of a family suffer burn injuries in Narayanganj fire
The other injured are Solaiman’s wife Rima Akhter, 31, and their sons -- Mahid, 13, and Arash, 3
Solaiman's cousin Yunus said the fire broke out at the one-storey building at the crack of dawn due to a leakage from a gas cylinder.
The injured are being treated at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said Md Bachchu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police outpost.
Also read: Rayerbagh coil factory fire under control
3 years ago
More human remains found 2 months after Hashem factory fire
The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of police Thursday recovered more human remains from Narayanganj's Hashem Food and Beverage Factory premises.
The investigators found the remains of at least one individual – a skull and some bones – from the fourth floor of the factory building, only two days after discovering charred skull and bones from the same spot.
The remains would be sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for DNA profiling, said CID's Assistant Superintendent of Police Harun-Ur-Rashid.
Also read: Locked inside a factory without fire exit, 52 lives go up in flames
3 years ago
Rupganj factory fire: 45 DNA-matched bodies to be handed over from tomorrow
The bodies of the Shezan juice factory fire victims would be handed over to their families from Wednesday.
The identities of 45 workers killed in the factory fire have been confirmed through DNA tests, officials said Tuesday. These bodies were recovered in an unrecognisably charred state.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Claimants found for 40 bodies out of 48, after 56 families submit DNA samples
Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mostain Billah said some of the bodies were kept in Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) morgue.
It was learned that 24 bodies kept at Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue will be handed to families at noon Wednesday. The rest were kept at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital morgue to be handed over in the next two days.
Also read: PM monitoring developments after factory fire in Rupganj: Quader
However, identities of three of the 48 bodies recovered in the same state from the same floor could not be ascertained from DNA matches.
Deputy Commissioner Mostain Billah further said that the families of the listed 45 deceased will be given Tk 50,000 for the burial and funeral.
3 years ago
Rupganj factory fire: Owner sent to jail, his 2 sons granted bail
A Narayanganj court on Wednesday sent to jail six accused, including Abul Hashem, owner of Hashem Foods Ltd., on completion of a four-day remand in a case over last week’s devastating factory fire in Rupganj.
Hashem two sons accused in the case - Hashem Bin Hashem and Tareq Ibrahim -were among those sent to jail.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Claimants found for 40 bodies out of 48, after 56 families submit DNA samples
However, the court granted bail to Hashem’s two other sons Tawsif Ibrahim and Tanjib Ibrahim, on grounds that they study abroad and don't have any ownership of the company.
3 years ago
Narayanganj fire: Unicef mourns death of children
Unicef has mourned the children who were killed in a recent factory fire in Narayanganj's Rupganj.
"We offer our deepest sympathies to the families of those who died, were injured, or remain unaccounted for," said Unicef Representative in Bangladesh Tomoo Hozumi Sunday.
With over 50 casualties reported, as many as 16 or more of these may be children, Unicef said.
Also read: Narayanganj fire: ITUC deeply concerned over 52 workers' death
"As families continue to search for their missing children, Unicef is working with the government to dispatch social workers to support children and families in Rupganj," said Hozumi.
"This tragic incident brings to light yet again that despite laws that should protect them, many children in Bangladesh are not only working, but they are working in hazardous conditions, he added.
According to the Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019, over 4 million children are working, and more than 3 million of these children are trapped in the worst forms of child labour that involve hazardous working conditions.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Claimants found for 40 bodies out of 48, after 56 families submit DNA samples
"The horrific deaths and suffering, which could have been avoided, are a stark reminder that all stakeholders must act now to protect children and must enforce compliance with the Children Act 2013, as well as child labour and occupational safety laws," Hozumi said.
At least 52 people died in a fire Thursday at a factory in Narayanganj's Rupganj, the latest industrial disaster in the country.
The International Trade Union Confederation Bangladesh Council Saturday called for making the results of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments' work on anomalies of the factory – especially the recruitment of child workers – public.
3 years ago
Rupganj factory fire: Claimants found for 40 bodies out of 48, after 56 families submit DNA samples
Family members on Saturday claimed 40 out of the 48 unidentified bodies burnt to the bone at the Rupganj factory fire, said CID DNA Assistant Analyst Nusrat Yasmin.
DNA samples were collected from 56 people on behalf of the claimants' families, she added.
“We have already taken samples from 48 unidentified bodies at the DMCH morgue. Forty of those bodies were claimed by family members today.”
“We have collected 56 samples from the claimants, we will deliver the bodies to the family as soon as we get a match,” she added.
DNA collected from the burnt bodies is being matched with DNA collected from articles of clothing or other items submitted by claimant families.
Locked inside a facility with no fire exit, 52 lives were burnt to ashes caused by the Rupganj factory fire in Narayanganj.
It took around 27 hours for 18 firefighting units to douse the fire completely as at some floors had huge inflammable substances stockpiled.
Also read: Locked inside a factory without fire exit, 52 lives go up in flames
Firefighters recovered 49 bodies from the 4th floor of the building and sent those to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital’s morgue, taking the death toll to 52 from the tragic incident. Only one of the 49 bodies could be identified, as the rest were completely burnt.
Earlier, three deaths from the accident were confirmed by the authorities of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital and US Bangla Medical College and Hospital, Rupganj on Thursday.
As more details emerged of the catastrophe, it became clear that the workers were left with no chance in the face of the raging inferno, that has been further fuelled by combustible items such as ghee, butter, oil and polybags stored on each floor.
Even so, the workers may have had a chance at escape, if only the building code had been maintained to provide an emergency exit, or the management had not implemented the medieval practice of locking the gates of the factory floors, that carried undertones of the horrific Tazreen Garments fire in 2012 that killed at least 112.
Deputy Director of the Fire Service Debashish Bardhan confirmed to UNB that rescue workers had to literally break down the locked collapsible gate on the building's 4th floor to go in and recover the bodies. That is where they found 49 of the bodies, burnt to a pulp overnight on the factory floor.
Most of the bodies were in a recognisable state. Narayanganj Additional Deputy Commissioner (Overall) Shamim Bepari said they would be handed over to their relatives after DNA testing to identify them. They have already been sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy and DNA test.
Also read: Rupganj fire: Sajeeb Group chairman, sons among 8 put on remand
A Narayanganj court on Saturday placed the eight people, including the chairman of Sajeeb Group, his four sons and the group CEO, on a four-day remand each following their arrest in connection with the Rupganj factory fire case.
Narayanganj Senior Judicial Magistrate Fahmida Khanam passed the order in the afternoon after a hearing as police produced the arrestees before the court seeking a 10-day remand for them, inspector Asaduzzaman told the UNB correspondent from the court.
Earlier in the day, Narayanganj police arrested Md Abul Hashem, chairman of the group, his four sons -- Hashem Bin Hashem, Tareq Ibrahim, Tawsib Ibrahim and Tanjim Ibrahim-- and its CEO Shahan Sha Azad, DGM Mamunur Rashid and head of admin Salauddin in the connection with the tragic fire in the factory owned by the group that claimed the lives of 52 people so far.
Earlier, police filed a case with Rupganj police station against the eight people and many unknown others following the massive fire in the factory, said Superintendent of Police in the district Md Zaidul Alam.
Group CEO Shahan Sha Azad was arrested from the company’s head office in the capital’s Farmgate area, while Chairman Hashem from his Gulshan residence, SP Alam said.
3 years ago
Narayanganj fire: ITUC deeply concerned over 52 workers' death
The International Trade Union Confederation Bangladesh Council (ITUC-BC) Saturday expressed deep concern over the death of 52 workers and injury of more than 30 in a fire at Hashem Food and Beverage factory in Narayanganj's Rupganj.
ITUC-BC Chairman Anwar Hossain and Secretary General Md Mojibur Rahman Bhuiyan demanded legal action against "the culprits as it appears that the authorities killed the workers in a planned way by blocking the exit of the factory and preventing rescuers from entering the building during the fire."
Also read: Locked inside a factory without fire exit, 52 lives go up in flames
The global trade union federation demanded compensation for deceased workers' families, according to international standards; rehabilitation and compensation for the injured.
ITUC-BC said factory fires are recurring due to inefficiency, negligence and indifference of the concerned authorities. It urged the government to form a judicial inquiry committee against all those, directly and indirectly, responsible for the incident.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Sajeeb Group chairman, 4 sons, CEO among 8 arrested
Also, the global trade union federation called for making the results of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments' work on anomalies of the factory – especially the recruitment of child workers – public.
3 years ago
Rupganj factory fire: Tk 50,000 medical assistance provided to injured
The injured workers undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital in connection with the massive factory fire in Rupganj were given medical assistance of Tk 50,000 from the Bangladesh Workers Welfare Foundation fund under the Ministry of Labor and Employment on Saturday.
Today, the secretary of the ministry KM Abdus Salam handed over a check of Tk 50,000 for medical aid to each of the three workers undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
A total of Tk 11 lakh has been handed over to 22 injured workers including those undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College and a private hospital in Rupganj.
Besides, Tk 2 lac will be provided to the deceased upon confirming their identities, KM Abdus Salam told reporters.
Earlier on Friday, State Minister for Labor and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian pledged that Legal action will be taken against the owners of the Rupganj factory where over 50 workers died in a fire, if there is evidence of their negligence.
Also read: Locked inside a factory without fire exit, 52 lives go up in flames
It is when she said that the family of the deceased would be provided with Tk 2 lac and the injured Tk 50,000 tomorrow from the Bangladesh Workers Welfare Foundation fund under the labor ministry.
Earlier on Saturday, police arrested Md Abul Hashem, chairman of the group Sajeeb Group that owns the factory, his four sons -- Hashem Bin Hashem, Tareq Ibrahim, Tawsib Ibrahim and Tanjim Ibrahim-- and its CEO Shahan Sha Azad, DGM Mamunur Rashid and head of admin Salauddin.
The eight will be produced before court later in the day, said Superintendent of Police (Narayanganj) Md Zaidul Alam.
So far 52 workers, some of them reportedly teen-aged boys and girls, were killed in the devastating fire that tore through the seven-story factory that produced foods and beverages such as juice, cold drinks, toast biscuits and laccha semai.
According to the fire service, huge amount of plastic and packaging materials in the building may have fuelled the fire in just a few minutes after it broke out.
They said the blocked door at the factory’s staircase has caused so many deaths that could have been avoided.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Sajeeb Group chairman, 4 sons, CEO among 8 arrested
It took around 27 hours for 18 fire fighting units to douse the blaze completely as at some floors huge amounts of inflammable substances were stockpiled.
On Friday noon, after breaking the locked door of the fourth floor, fire fighters discovered rows of bodies burnt to ashes.
Fire fighters recovered 49 bodies from the floor and sent them to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital’s morgue, which took the death toll to 52 from the tragic incident. None of the 49 bodies could be identified yet as they have completely been charred.
Three others died from injuries after jumping off the building on Thursday.
3 years ago