Four people died after entering a septic tank and being exposed to toxic gas in Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria on Wednesday afternoon.
The incident happened in Galania West Para village under Kalikachcha Union of Sarail. Fire Service and police recovered the bodies after responding to an emergency call.
The deceased were identified as construction worker Arman Mia, 21; Imam Hossain, 34; Hridoy Mia, 32; and Mehedi Hasan.
Sarail Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Manjur Kader Bhuiyan said police assisted in the rescue operation and sent the bodies to Brahmanbaria District Sadar Hospital for autopsy.
According to police and local sources, the victims entered a 10-foot-deep septic tank at a house under construction owned by Ali Mia to carry out pipe-fitting work.
After entering the tank, they failed to respond. Locals and the house owner later alerted the Fire Service and police.
Firefighters and police recovered the bodies one by one from the tank.
Relatives rushed to the scene after news of the incident and broke down in tears, demanding exemplary punishment for the house owner, alleging negligence.
Arman Mia’s uncle Abbas Ali alleged gross negligence by the owner, saying the septic tank was built 10 feet deep without engineering supervision. He demanded the arrest and exemplary punishment of Ali Mia.
Hridoy Mia’s mother-in-law Salma Akter, in tears, said her daughter has been left a widow and also blamed the house owner, demanding his arrest and punishment.
Kalikaichha Union Parishad Chairman Md Sayeed Hossain said he joined the rescue operation upon arriving at the scene, adding that the deaths were likely caused by oxygen shortage or toxic gas inside the tank and would be investigated.
Brahmanbaria Fire Service Deputy Assistant Director Faruk Ahmed said firefighters responded after receiving a 999 call and conducted the rescue operation before handing over the bodies to police.
He said the deaths are primarily suspected to have resulted from methane gas exposure and oxygen deficiency.
House owner Ali Mia has been absconding since the incident, and police said a case is being prepared.
