Death toll from Gulistan explosion rises to 23

The death toll from the massive explosion that ripped through a 5-storey building in Gulistan's Siddique Bazar area has risen to 23, with one more victim succumbing to his injuries on Saturday, reports UNB.

The deceased was identified as Mirza Azam, 36, son of Shahjahan Mirza from Baufal upazila of Patuakhali district.

Azam had been undergoing treatment at the ICU of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

Azam breathed his last at around 9:30 am Saturday, said SM Ayub Hossain, resident surgeon of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

He was admitted to the hospital with 80 per cent burn injuries. Azam used to work at a sanitary shop in the five-storey building where the deadly blast occurred.

On 7 March, at least 17 people were killed and over 100 were injured in a massive explosion in the five-storey building near a BRTC bus counter in the capital’s Gulistan area.

A sanitary materials shop on the ground floor of the building, BRAC Bank office on one of the floors and an adjacent 7-storey building were damaged but no buildings collapsed.

Three people, including the owner of the building at Siddique Bazar, were shown arrested in a case over the blast on Thursday.

A Dhaka court on Thursday put the three arrested people on a three-day remand.