News Desk :
Forensic experts have collected DNA samples from 60 relatives collected to confirm about the identities of 42 workers killed in a fire at Hashem Food and Beverage factory at Rupganj in Narayanganj.
Collection of the samples began at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) morgue premises on Friday. Some 60 individuals of the families of deceased provided samples till 11:00am on Sunday.
Rumana Akter, Head of the Forensic Department of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police said the collection of DNA samples from the relatives of the victims is now going on. Samples from 60 relatives have been collected over the last three days to identify 42 victims.
The DNA experts said minimum three weeks would require to match the DNA samples of deceased with the DNA samples collected from their families.
Meanwhile, relatives of missing workers have been frantically rushing from hospital to hospital in the search for their loved ones over the past four days. Many have provided DNA samples to help with the identification process.
Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Special Superintendent of Police Rumana Akhter said: “We have 48 bodies till now that are unidentified. We have collected samples from their teeth and bones to do the DNA tests, because the other body parts are totally burnt.
“Since we have to use DNA samples from teeth and bones, it will take some time to get the results. We are hopeful of getting the results in 21 days,” she added.
The CID official further said that blood samples had been collected from 40 groups of relatives of the missing workers. The local administration has drawn up a list of 44 missing workers based on statements from their relatives.
Of the 48 unidentified bodies, 15 havebeen taken at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College morgue, eight at the emergency department morgue of Dhaka Medical College (DMC), and 25 at the DMC forensics morgue.
A massive fire broke out at Hashem Food and Beverage factory of Sajib Group at Rupganj in Narayanganj on Thursday evening, leaving 52 workers burnt alive and many more injured. On Saturday, police filed a murder case in connection with the incident.
