The search for survivors trapped under the rubble of a collapsed roof in Mongla Cement Factory was called off yesterday with the death toll standing at seven.
At least 46 others were found alive during the search for survivors, said Sena Kalyan Sangstha acting chairman Brig Gen Md Selim, who announced the end to the rescue efforts around 12:30pm yesterday as “there seemed to be no signs of survivors under the rubble.”
The families of the deceased would receive compensation, while the survivors undergoing medical treatment would also be offered support, said Brig Gen Selim, the acting chief of the army welfare organisation that owns the under construction building.
A roof of the Mongla Cement Factory building in Mongla Port Industrial Area collapsed on Thursday.
Talking to journalists after the end of the search and rescue operation, the deputy director of Fire Service and Civil Defence for the Khulna division, Sheikh Mizanur Rahman, said it was unlikely that more dead bodies were trapped under the debris.
Three bodies were found before the fire service joined the rescue efforts, while four more were found later by the fire service personnel, he added.
Acting deputy commissioner of Bagerhat Md Shah Alam Sarder said families of each of the deceased received Tk20,000 in compensation on Friday, while the injured received Tk5,000 each.
Captain Syed Helal Hossain, deputy general manager for the factory, said families of those who died would receive Tk1 lakh each.
Currently, 32 of the injured are admitted in Khulna Medical College Hospital, eight in Rampal Upazila Health Complex, five in Mongla Port Hospital and one in Dhaka.
Local lawmaker Talukder Abdul Khaleque blamed the negligence of the contractors as the reason behind the accident. He also demanded an investigation into the collapse as well as calling for rehabilitation of the injured victims.
So far, six of those killed in the collapse have been identified. They are: Amir Akunji, 35, son of Gourambhar Akbar Akunji and hailing from Bagerhat’s Rampal upazila; Rajnagar natives Maruf Sheikh, 42, son of Latif Sheikh, and Ansar Sheikh, 55, son of Dalil Uddin; Al Amin, 30, son of Khulna city resident Moazzem Hossain; Baki Billah, 30, son of Shamsur Rahman and hailing from Satkhira’s Kolaroa upazila; and Sirajul Islam, 35, son of Shyamnagar upazila’s Baintola.
Factory to resume operation
When the roof of the under-construction building collapse, it did not cause any damage to the nearby main building of the Mongla Cement Factory.
As the operating cement factory stood unharmed, work at the main unit would resume today, said the factory’s Deputy General Manager Maksudul Karim.
Meanwhile, factory DGM Captain Helal said a four-member committee has been formed by the Sena Kalyan Sangshta to investigate the cause of the collapse.
The welfare organisation’s acting chief – Brig Gen Selim – however refused to speculate on the possible cause of the incident. Saying it was a technical issue, he added that it was the probe committee’s job to find out the reason.