Bangladeshi pilgrim Salahuddin Ahmed, a businessman from Savar who is now staying in Saudi Arabia to observe the hajj pilgrimage with his father Abdul Jalil, witnessed the crane crashing into the Masjid Al Haram or Grand Mosque of Mecca on Friday.
“I was on the third floor of a market beside the mosque when the crane crashed [around 5:45pm local time]. The pilgrims were set to say their Maghrib prayers.
“But because of a strong sandstorm that took place a while ago, many of them were taking shelter at the market to avoid rain. The crane collapsed all of a sudden,” Salauddin told the Dhaka Tribune over phone.
“Many pilgrims died on the spot while scores of people sustained injuries. Those took shelter outside the mosque survived the tragic accident. Otherwise, the death toll would have been much higher,” he added.
According to the Bangladeshi consulate in Jeddah, some 40 Bangladeshis were injured in the incident. All of them but one were discharged from Al Zayed in Makkah hospital after first aid.
As many as 107 hajj pilgrims were killed and around 240 others injured in the incident. The Saudi officials have blamed heavy rain and strong winds of unusually high speed for the uprooting of trees, the fall of panels and the collapse of the crane.
General Suleiman al-Amr, director general of the Civil Defence Authority, told Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV yesterday that the number of deaths might increase. The Emir of Makkah Prince Khaled Al-Faisal commissioned a committee to investigate the cause of the deadly collapse.
The one still under treatment is Chand Box from Shariatpur, said Consul General of Jeddah Consulate AKM Shahidul Karim.
“According to latest information, no Bangladeshi was killed in the accident. Our officials are gathering information about the Bangladeshi pilgrims,” he added.
Asked whether the injured pilgrims would be able to perform hajj – set to begin on September 21, Karim said: “All of them are now out of danger. We have been informed that they can perform the hajj.”
A press release of the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said that the Bangladeshis were injured due to stampede after the incident.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sent a message of condolence to the King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, expressing deep sympathy to the victims and their family members.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali has also sent a message to his Saudi counterpart.
Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh, Consulate General in Jeddah and Hajj Office in Mecca are constantly vigilant to immediately address any concern of Bangladeshi pilgrims and expatriate workers, who may fall victim of the tragic incident, officials said.
Md Jahirul Islam, consul (Hajj), Bangladesh Hajj Office in Mecca [mobile number +966(0)504321527], and Md Altaf Hossain, first secretary (labour), Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah [mobile number +966(0) 534455716], may be contacted directly for any help or update in this regard.