Bodies of five from Naogaon identified by DNA testing to arrive on Saturday

The bodies of seven Bangladeshis, including five from Naogaon, who died in a fire at a sofa manufacturing factory in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, are scheduled to arrive in the country tomorrow, Saturday.

Their bodies are returning home nearly three months after the tragic incident.

The identities of the seven individuals were previously confirmed through DNA testing. Of them, five bodies will be taken to Naogaon and two to Natore.

The deceased from Naogaon are Shahin of Par Naogaon village in Sadar upazila, and Hasibul Hasan of Dubai village, Minhaz Pramanik of Madhyaboalia village, Masidul Sardar of Madhabpur village and Sagar Ali of Sahanagar village in Atrai upazila.

The two victims from Natore are Mohammad Shamim of Dighirpara village and Sharif Hossain of Khajura village in Lalpur upazila.

On 9 August, 16 Bangladeshi workers were killed in a devastating fire at a sofa factory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The bodies of nine of the victims were repatriated on 27 August. The remaining seven were recently identified through DNA profiling, and their bodies are now being sent back.

Citing a notification issued by the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, Naogaon Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saiful Islam stated that a ministry letter issued on Thursday confirmed the bodies are scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 8:05 am on Saturday via a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.

A letter signed by Muhammad Rezaye Rabbi, Counsellor (Labour) at the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, stated that since all flights from Riyadh have been suspended since 10 October, the bodies were transported by road to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

From there, the bodies will be flown to Dhaka on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.

Copies of the letter have been sent to the concerned Deputy Commissioners, Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) and expatriate welfare offices to take the necessary arrangements.

Atrai Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Moniruzzaman confirmed that the families of the deceased have been informed of the matter.

Meanwhile, the news of the bodies returning 2 months and 22 days after the accident has cast a fresh pall of gloom over the grieving families. While they wait to see their loved ones one last time, the agony of their loss remains profound.

The relatives are currently preparing to receive the bodies and bring them back to their respective hometowns for burial.

Parveen, wife of victim Shahin from the Par Naogaon Tazer Mor area in Naogaon town, said, "We have already lost him. The damage is done. Now, if the body is at least here in the country, the children will be able to see their father's grave."