Death toll now 137

The number of Bangladeshi pilgrims killed in the Mina stampede during Hajj last month has risen to 137, while at least 53 others still remain missing.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam confirmed the death toll at a press briefing at his ministry yesterday.

“Some [Bangladeshi] hajis injured in the stampede are taking treatment at different hospitals in Saudi Arabia,” he said while replying to reporters' queries.

Among the deceased Bangladeshis, the detailed identities of 96 have been confirmed, added the minister.

Earlier, Golam Moshi, Bangladesh ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said 55 Bangladeshi hajis had been buried in the Arab state with due respect.

The Saudi government was trying to identify the remaining victims by matching their DNA with their relatives.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh has called upon the relatives to send their DNA to it to help identify the remaining victims, he added.

Among around 1.7 lakh Bangladeshis who went to perform Hajj this year, 70,000 returned home until yesterday morning, said a press release of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

Saudi's official figures of 769 killed and 934 injured in the stampede remained accurate, said officials of the country, adding that an investigation was on to find out the reason behind the incident.

Two weeks before the Mina stampede, 107 people were killed as a construction crane collapsed into the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

Many countries that sent pilgrims to this year's Hajj estimated the number of deaths in the stampede alone at more than 1,000.

News agency Associated Press last week claimed that both the tragedies during the annual Hajj pilgrimage killed at least 1,464 people.