Death toll from Gulistan blast rises to 25

The members of the fire service have resumed the rescue operation at the Queen Sanitary Market in Gulistan’s Siddique Bazar for the third day without using any heavy machinery on ThursdayProthom Alo

The death toll from the massive explosion that ripped through a 5-storey building in Dhaka’s Gulistan area has risen to 25, with one more victim succumbing to his injuries on Sunday, reports UNB.

The deceased was identified as Md Hasan, 32, son of Abu Ahmed Siddique of Noakhali’s Begumganj upazila.

Inspector Bachhu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police outpost confirmed his death.

Hasan had been undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery with 12 per cent burn injuries. He succumbed to his injuries around 9:11 am on Sunday, the police official said.

On 7 March, at least 17 people were killed and over 100 were injured in a massive explosion in a 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 the third floor and an adjacent seven-storey building were damaged but the building didn't collapse.

Meanwhile, two bodies were recovered from the debris on 9 March.

Musa Haider, 45, a victim succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital on the same day, raising the death toll to 20.

Meanwhile, firefighters recovered the body of another victim from the debris on 9 March while three other victims identified as Yeasin Arafat, Mirza Azam and Zahan Sardar Selim succumbed to their injuries at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery on 9 March, 11 March and 14 March respectively.

Three people, including the owner of the building in Gulistan, were arrested in a case over the blast.