Missing workers’ families plead for DNA results

The families said they submitted their DNA samples on September 21 and are unable to bury their loves currently kept at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) morgue without DNA confirmation. District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer M Mahbubur Rahman, on behalf of the district administration, told the missing workers’ relatives: “CID conducts DNA tests in several steps. Only the first step has has been completed so far. Identities of the missing workers can be established from the results of the first step which we hope to get the results of by January 20.” The four perished in a massive fire erupted at the Tampaco food and cigarette packaging factory after a huge explosion on September 10, killing a total of 34 and injuring 35. Rescuers recovered eight more unidentified bodies that were kept at DMCH morgue before being handed over to families after DNA test results that matched them with their families. There are currently nine unidentified victims of the fire whose family members have all sumbitted their DNA samples to Dhaka’s Criminal Investigation Department. A total of five probe committees have been formed after the disaster by Ministry of Home Affairs, Gazipur District Administration, Ministry of Labor and Employment, Fire Service and Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited. Two cases including a murder case have been filed against the factory owner Syed Mokbul Hossain Lechu Mia, his wife Parveen, his son and Managing Director Syed Tanvir Hossain, daughter Habiba, son-in-law Shofiuddin and six officials of the factory in this connection. Of the accused, five are in jail now. They are Managing Director Syed Tanvir Hossain, General Manager of the factory Shafiqur Rahman, Deputy Managing Director Shafius Sami Alamgir, Administrative Manager Moniruzzaman and Manager (legal and anministration) Abu Hanif. Owner Mokbul Hossain is on interim bail till January 4. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Gas supplier Titas Gas, in its probe report over the disaster, claimed the gas leak did not trigger the fire.