Rana Plaza Collapse: 157 identified thru DNA test

Some 157 of the 322 unidentified victims of Savar Rana Plaza collapse have been identified through DNA profiling.

“The identities of 157 deceased could be ensured through DNA test while the 165 deceased could not be identified yet,’’ Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar said at a press briefing at his office on Monday.

The secretary said the National Forensic DNA Profiling Laboratory at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) has identified the 157 garment workers.

Of them, 116 are females and the rest 41 males, he said.

A total of 1,134 people were killed as the multi-storey Rana Plaza at Savar on the outskirts of the capital came down crashing on April 24.

Some 322 victims could not be identified and they were buried at Jurain Graveyard in the city.

However, DNA samples were collected from the unidentified bodies. Blood samples were also collected from 548 family members of those who went missing in the building collapse.

Mikhail Shipar said family members can identify the victims by DNA numbers placed in front of the each grave at the Jurain Graveyard.

A list of the identified victims will be sent to the Prime Minister’s Office and then to respective deputy commissioners, he said, adding that the PMO would then make a list of the genuine relatives of the victims through DCs to provide them with compensation.

The secretary also said a total of Tk 18.80 crore has already been provided to the family members of 777 deceased and 36 seriously injured victims of the Rana Plaza collapse from the Prime Minister’s Welfare Fund.

Meanwhile, the identities of 43 victims out of 53 unidentified ones in the Tazreen Fashions fire have also been revealed through DNA profiling, Mikail Shipar said.