Authorities say 275 bodies have been recovered from the rubble of a building that collapsed in the country’s worst ever building collapse disaster.Brig. Gen. Mohammed Siddiqul Alam Shikder, who is overseeing rescue operations, said Friday morning that 61 survivors have been rescued since Thursday afternoon.
Authorities say more than 2,000 people have been rescued from the building since it collapsed Wednesday.
Deep cracks visible in the walls of a Bangladesh garment building had compelled police to order it evacuated a day before it collapsed, officials said Thursday, but factories based there ignored the order and kept more than 2,000 people working.
Of the bodies, 206 were handed over to their families, he said.
Meanwhile, IGP Hasan Mahmud Khandker said two industrial policemen—constable Rafiq and ASI Mukul who went to the building to inspect it—remained missing since the tragic incident has taken place.
So far, nearly 2100 people have been rescued from the rubbles of the building till filing of this report around 9:20pm.
Rescuers feared that the number of victims would go up further as many are still remained trapped under the debris.
Hundreds of people, mostly garment workers and relatives of the victims, gathered at the site to witness the rescue operation as the rescuers were bringing out bodies one after another from the rubbles.
In a press briefing in the afternoon, GOC (Ninth Infantry Division) Major General Shaheed Hossain Suhradwardi said, “Let’s face the heart-rending incident with patience. The rescue operation will continue until the last person is rescued, either alive or dead.”
The bodies of the garment workers, mostly females, were laid out on the grounds of nearby Adhar Chandra School and College.
Each time a body was identified it led to a heartrending sight as wailing filled the air.
The ill-fated building accommodated at least six garment factories and some 300 shops with nearly 4,000 workers.
The family of the each deceased was provided with Tk 20,000 from the DC office to complete the funeral activities.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Khaleda Zia visited at the spot at 5:35 pm to see for herself the trail of devastation caused by the building crash.
Jatiya Sangsad Chief Whip Abdus Shahid, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Capt (retd) AB Tajul Islam and local MP Talukder Towhid Jang Murad visited the spot.
Rescue workers, led by Army, were continuing their operation to pull out those remained trapped in the building.
Local Fire Service personnel and police were also in the rescue teams and carrying out their operations till filing of the report around 9:20pm.
The building, ‘Rana Plaza’, which developed cracks on Tuesday morning, collapsed all of a sudden after a big bang around 9.00am on Wednesday.
Many survivors alleged that the owners of their garment factories forced them to go back to work on Wednesday morning against their will.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Dr Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir on Thursday said the government would take stern legal action against those responsible for the incident.
Five cases have been filed on behalf of Labour and Employment Ministry with the labour court against the owners of the building and the garment factories.
Police detained the brother-in-law of Rana, and Tushar, a tenant of Rana’s house, for interrogation.
The High Court on Thursday directed the owner of Rana Plaza, Sohel Rana, and the managing directors and chairmen of six RMG factories housed in the building to appear before it on April 30.
The Home and Labour Ministries have formed two bodies to probe the incident. UNB
