At least 49 bodies were recovered from the six-storey food factory building in Naryanganj’s Rupganj taking the death toll to 52.
Deputy Director (operations and maintenance) of Fire Service and Civil Defense Debashish Bardhan told reporters that the 49 bodies were recovered from the 4th floor of the building.
He further said the bodies were charred beyond recognition and it will be hard to identify the bodies for handover to family members. DNA sampling may be needed to match the bodies. The recovered bodies were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Fire service is still working to control the fire in the building that broke out last night.
There is a huge amount of flammable polythene, ghee and other objects which made it difficult to bring the fire under control, Bardhan further said.
Earlier in the day, a list of 38 missing people was prepared by police, confirmed Sub-inspector Mithun Lal Vaidya of Bhulta Police Outpost under Rupganj Police Station.
Meanwhile, relatives of the missing are staging demonstration outside and around the factory premises. Police in large numbers are trying to control the situation, reports our Narayanganj correspondent.
Earlier in the day, relatives of five persons reported they were missing. This includes Ripon alias Yasin Mia (20), Taslima (18), Amena (20), Umrita Begum (25) and Firoza Begum (40), reports our Narayanganj correspondent.
Ripon’s mother Nazma Begum said he had been missing since noon after he left home for the the factory. He works on the fourth floor of the factory. Relatives said most of the missing were likely trapped on the fourth floor.
Amena’s father-in-law Harun Rashid said he called the factory after receiving news of the fire. “A member of the factory said they were stuck in a room on the fourth floor, after which the mobile was found switched off”.
Last night, three people died and 10 others were injured after the building caught fire. They jumped off the roof of the building.