Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Jalal Ahmed handed over the cheques at his conference room around 12:30am.

The CMM said it was an unprecedented measure made possible by an order of the High Court (HC). The rest of the money will be handed over to the other dead victims families and injured victims when they appear before the court with proper documents, the CMM added.

Earlier on March 27, Deen Mohammad, owner of the Phoenix building that collapsed on February 25, leaving 22 dead and 48 seriously injured, obtained bail from a Dhaka court after depositing Tk 1.20 crore as compensation for the victims of the disaster.

Families of those who died received Tk 3 lakh each while those who lost their limbs got Tk 2 lakh. Victims who were critically injured got Tk 1 lakh each while the victims who sustained minor injuries received Tk 50,000 each.

Tejgaon police had filed the case accusing Deen Mohammad and seven others in connection with the collapse.