Tup tup resort fire: 10 victims yet to be identified

The family of Nasrin Jahan Mukta, a 29-year-old schoolteacher from Mathbaria in Pirojpur, has been unable to identify her among the 10 bodies recovered after a fire at a resort in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar, leaving them uncertain about her fate.

Her husband, Dewan Faisal, vice-president of the Dhaka District North unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, confirmed the matter around 7pm on Saturday.

The fire broke out on Saturday morning at Tuptup Resto and Resort near Patuartek Beach in Inani, Ukhia. Ten people died in the incident.

Mukta was the daughter of Mostafa Kamal of Khan Bari in Betmor Rajpara village of Mathbaria. She worked as a teacher at Swapna Bilash School, a private educational institution in Savar, Dhaka.

According to family members and eyewitnesses, Mukta went to Cox’s Bazar on holiday two days earlier with two friends. They were staying at the resort near Patuartek Beach.

On Saturday morning, her friends invited her to join them for a walk along the beach. However, Mukta stayed in their room, saying she wanted to sleep. The fire broke out about 20 minutes after her friends left the resort.

Several Fire Service units rushed to the scene and launched rescue operations, joined by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel and the local administration. The fire was brought under control around 8:15am and completely extinguished by 11am.

Imran Haji, Mukta’s cousin and general secretary of the Chhatra Dal unit at Mathbaria Rustam Ali Degree College, said the family had yet to identify her among the 10 bodies recovered. They were going to the police station to seek further information.

He said Mukta and her husband were in no condition to speak, while the family remained deeply worried. If her body is identified, it will be taken to their village home for burial.

KM Humayun Kabir, former president of Mathbaria municipal BNP and a current member of the upazila BNP, said party leaders had contacted Mukta’s family and expressed their condolences. They would attend her funeral prayers if her body was brought to the village.

Kabir also said Ruhul Amin Dulal, lawmaker for the Pirojpur-3 (Mathbaria) constituency, had expressed his grief over the incident.

Mathbaria Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Robiul Islam said they were trying to contact Mukta’s family and would take necessary steps after gathering further information.