Chawkbazar Fire: 3 families yet to find loved ones
Three weeks after the devastating Chawkbazar blaze, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday claimed that 66 bodies were retrieved and carried in 68 body bags from the spot.
Meanwhile, two recovered bodies have remained unidentified, as no one has claimed those, while three families are yet to find any trace of their loved ones.
CID chief Sheikh Himayet Hossain made the disclosure after CID identified five more bodies from DNA test.
In two bags out of 68, there were three parts of a body and in another bag there was a hand belonging to another, he said. “We have come to know from DNA test that the severed body parts matched with already recovered dead bodies.”
So, the total count of dead bodies from the spot was 66, said the CID chief while addressing the media at CID headquarters.
With the 66 and four victims who died in Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) later, the total death toll of the Chawkbazar blaze is now 70.
Earlier on February 21, the deputy commissioner and the Fire Service and Civil Defense officials declared that they had recovered 67 bodies from the spot.
Of them, 48 were handed over to family members from the Dhaka Medical College morgue and DNA samples were taken from 23 families for 18 unidentified bodies, including the severed parts kept in two separate bags, said the CID chief.
On March 6, CID identified 11 victims and handed over the bodies to their family members. The body parts also matched with the 11 victims' bodies later.
“We were able to complete DNA profiles of the rest of the bodies, but managed to identify five,” said the CID chief. The victims are: Haji Ismail, Foysal Sarwar, Md Mostofa, Rehnuma Tabassum Dola and Mohammad Jafor.
Now, there are two bodies which have been DNA profiled but have no claimants, the official said, adding that there are still three families who are looking for their missing relatives.
Mosammat Fatema gave DNA sample for her missing son Raju; Anwara Begum for her son Md Helal; and Altaf Miah for his son Md Rafiq, but those did not match any of the bodies, the official said.
Meanwhile, four bodies were handed over to family members yesterday.
Victim Dola's father Dalilur Rahman Dulal and younger sister Maliha Meherin received her body.
“My sister worked to be an accomplished judge, after completing her Bar-at-law degree from abroad… but her dreams have now turned into ashes,” Maliha told this correspondent.
Dola, a second year law student at Bangladesh University of Professionals, was going back to her Lalbagh residence on rickshaw with her friend after attending a cultural programme at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
Rickshaw-puller Mostofa's body was received by his wife Jesmin Begum.
Jesmin was found sitting in front of the DMC morgue with two sons Jihad, 12, and Jibon, 7. Her third son Jisan, 5, was in their Kamrangirchar home.
“I am knocking on different doors with my three children to identify my husband's body since the accident took place, and finally got his trace today (Tuesday),” said Jesmin.
“Mostofa was the only earning member of the family, and I do not know how we will survive now,” she added.
Victim Hazi Ismail's son Sohrab Hossain received his body.
Sohrab said they had a plastic factory in Chawkbazar and his father went to the factory on that day. Around 11:30pm, they called on his father's cell phone after hearing the news of the fire, but the phone was switched off, he said.
“Finally, I got my father's body through DNA sample verification,” he added.
The body of Foysal Sarowar was received by his wife Fatema Akter.
His nephew Rahat Khan Rocky said Foysal was a businessman. On the day, Foysal left home to buy his mother's medicine. His friend Mahmud then offered him a cup of tea at Churihatta, and never returned, said Rocky.
Regarding the fifth body, Lokman Hossain, sub-inspector of Chawkbazar Police Station, said family members of fifth victim Md Jafor mistakenly took the body of another victim.
“So, we would apply to recover the body of that victim first from graveyard, and then handover Jafor's body to them,” he added.
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