The labour ministry is set to announce on Monday, the DNA test results of 157 unidentified victims of the Rana Plaza disaster.
Earlier on Sunday, the National DNA Testing Laboratory at the Dhaka Medical College submitted to the ministry – its findings on 157 victims, among a total of 321 unidentified victims from the tragedy that occurred on April 24 this year.
The DNA laboratory chief Dr Sharif Akteruzzaman confirmed the matter, adding that among the 157 identified victims, 116 are women and 41 are men.
Sources said, the DNA laboratory had completed the DNA profiling of around 300 victims, but had so far only confirmed the relationships between 157 victims and their relatives.
Seeking anonymity, an official of the DNA laboratory said another round of DNA test results were likely to be published in a couple of weeks.
Around 60%-70% identification of the total victims could be known after the reanalysis of the rest of the unidentified victims, the official expressed hopes, adding that the next test will be done following a different analysis system.
However, another source at the DNA laboratory said the targeted percentage may not be reached during the reanalysis.
Meanwhile, Dr Akteruzzaman, chief of the DNA lab, said: “Generally, blood sample helps to get a correct result of a DNA profile. But the samples of the unidentified victims were collected from their bones and teeth. And that is why the actual identification of all unidentified victims may not be found.”
