Bangladesh: Banani fire death toll reaches 25
Source: IT News / Siam Sarower Jamil

Dhaka, March 29 2019: The death toll in the fire at FR Tower in Dhaka raise to 25, police said on Friday as the authorities resumed the detailed search in the morning.

Police deputy commissioner (Gulshan Zone) Mustak Ahmed at around 9:40 told media that 19 bodies were kept in different hospitals and six bodies found during the search in different floors of the building.

A total of 24 bodies were handed over to their relatives in the meantime.

Identities of the deceased were not disclosed by the police or other authorities as the fire service and civil defence officials said they would be continuing search and rescue operations at eighth to 11th floor of the building until Friday morning.

Deceased Sri Lankan national Nirosh Vigma Rajah, 28, worked with Scanwell Logistics in the building, said Banani police station officer-in-charge BM Forman Ali.

The formalities of the handover of the bodies were underway, he added.

The families and the police identified eight of the deceased as Parjez Hossain, 47, of Gopalganj, Mamun, 36, of Regent Air Express, Amina Yesmin, 40, of Molvibazar who was on the ninth floor, Abdullah Al Faruk, 35, who was on the 10th floor, Maksudur Rahman, 36, of Gendaria, Rezaul Karim Kazi, 42, of Asif International, Mizanur Rahman, 35, and Rumki, 35 .

The fire broke out at about noon on Thursday at the 22-storied building, which housed many offices.

The source of the fire could not be established yet, officials said.

Visiting the spot at about 11:15 on Friday, public works minister SM Rezaul Karim said that murder charges would be filed against the persons responsible for killing in the fire incident.

About 66 per cent buildings in the city have been constructed flouting building code, he said.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayor Atiqul Islam said this was the time to take action against errant building owners.

DNCC will take immediate action against the building owners, he said.

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