Saudi Factory Fire: Remains of Seven Bangladeshi Workers Killed in Saudi Factory Fire Arrive Home

DHAKA, Oct. 31 — The remains of seven Bangladeshi workers killed in a fire at a sofa factory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, arrived in Bangladesh on Saturday, completing the repatriation of all 16 victims from the August tragedy.

The remains arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 8:21 a.m. on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight, according to information provided by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.

Muhammad Rezae Rabbi, the ministry’s labour counsellor, said the bodies were transported by road from Riyadh to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah before being flown to Dhaka. Direct flights from Riyadh had been suspended since Oct. 10, he said.

The fire broke out at the sofa factory on Aug. 9, killing 16 Bangladeshi workers. The remains of nine victims were returned to Bangladesh on Aug. 27, while the identities of the remaining seven were confirmed through DNA testing.

Five of the latest victims were from Naogaon district, while the other two were from Natore district, according to the information provided.

The victims from Naogaon were identified as Shahin of Par Naogaon village in Naogaon Sadar; Hasibul Hasan of Dubai village, Minhaj Pramanik of Madhyaboalia village, Masidul Sardar of Madhabpur village and Sagar Ali of Sahanagar village, all in Atrai upazila.

The other two victims were Mohammad Shamim of Dighipara village and Sharif Hossain of Khajura village, both in Lalpur upazila of Natore.