16 Bangladeshi workers killed in Saudi sofa factory fire

At least 16 Bangladeshi migrant workers were killed in a fire at a sofa factory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, according to the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh.

The fire broke out at around 2pm on Sunday in the Musa Sanaiya industrial area under Shifa police station in Riyadh. Fire service rescuers at the scene confirmed the deaths of 16 people, said Mohammed Rezae Rabbi, counsellor (labour) at the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh, citing local eyewitnesses.

He said local eyewitnesses reported that all the deceased were Bangladeshis. The bodies were severely burned in the fire, making identification difficult. Saudi fire service personnel were continuing rescue operations at the site.

Earlier, local authorities in Bangladesh had reported the deaths of 12 Bangladeshi workers from Naogaon’s Atrai and Natore’s Naldanga in the incident. Of them, 10 were from Atrai and two from Naldanga.

Naogaon Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saiful Islam had confirmed the deaths of 10 workers from Atrai. The victims were identified as Kali, 30; Lutfar, 32; Jandar; Rubel; Sagar; Majidul; Shuvo; Sumon; Jalal; and Md Farid Sheikh.

The two victims from Naldanga were identified as Shuvo, son of Rabbani of Sripur Para village in Khajura Union, and Shamim Hossain, son of Zakir Hossain of Dighirpar village.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh has expressed deep sorrow over the deaths. Embassy officials are at the scene and maintaining communication with Saudi authorities to identify the victims and gather further information.

Meanwhile, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury expressed deep condolences over the deaths.

He said the government was maintaining regular communication with the Bangladesh Embassy and local authorities and had instructed officials to take necessary steps to bring the bodies back to Bangladesh and ensure government assistance and compensation for the victims’ families.

The minister also prayed for the eternal peace of the deceased and conveyed his condolences to their bereaved families.

SKS