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Two people were killed and at least six others injured after a boundary wall of Mirpur University College collapsed onto people waiting in line to buy subsidised goods from the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) in the capital’s Mirpur area on Tuesday.
The incident occurred at around 1:26pm on Love Road, behind Mirpur University College, where TCB regularly sells essential commodities at subsidised prices.
One of the deceased was identified as Nasima Begum, a resident of the nearby Janata Housing area. The other victim, a man believed to be around 40 years old, had not been identified at the time of reporting.
Mirpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Hafizur Rahman said eight people were initially rescued after the wall suddenly collapsed on those standing in the queue.
“People gather there every day to buy TCB products at lower prices. Many were waiting in line when the old boundary wall suddenly gave way and fell on them,” the OC said.
Local residents immediately removed bricks and debris to rescue those trapped beneath the collapsed wall before police joined the operation.
“There was a loud crashing sound. One of our patrol teams was nearby and rushed to the spot. Together with local people, we rescued those trapped under the debris,” Hafizur Rahman said.
The injured were taken to nearby hospitals. Nasima Begum was declared dead after being taken to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), commonly known as the Pongu Hospital.
Later, another injured man was pronounced dead at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Another woman remains in critical condition, while the remaining injured are receiving treatment.
Police said the collapsed wall was old and approximately 10 to 12 feet high. The cause of the collapse is under investigation.