The Phoenix building owners announced through advertisement that they would pay compensation to the families of the dead and bear all expenses for treatment of the injured and also pay compensation

Ten of the injured under treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) yesterday said they received some money for treatment.

One of them said he received Tk 8,000 and the others received Tk 2,000 each.

The injured and their relatives alleged the money given by the building owners is insufficient for treatment. "I have already spent Tk 4,000," said injured M Musa, helper of a mason. A woman named Jobeda gave him Tk 2,000 at 10:00am yesterday, he added.

His nephew Shah Alam, one of the injured, received no money as yet, he mentioned.

Four others said none has offered them any assistance.

Doctors at Ward-32 of the DMCH, where nine injured are under treatment, however said no victims had to buy any medicine.

"We've provided them medicine available at the hospital and also bought them medicine worth over Tk 20,000," said Dr Kazi Eusuf, assistant registrar of the ward.

Relatives of most of the injured however refuted the doctors' claim and said they had to buy some medicine from outside.

They also demanded immediate payment of the compensation offered by the building owners.

Relatives of the dead told this correspondent that they have heard about the offer of compensation. "But none came to us with the offer. We don't know whom to contact for this," said Aklima, wife of one the dead, Mizanur Rahman.

Syed Al Amin, son of another dead, Syed Rustom Ali, who was working at the building as a sub-contractor, said, "Owners of Phoenix building owe us over Tk 30 lakh and none has contacted us as yet about the money."