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The bodies of seven Bangladeshi workers who died in a fire at a sofa-manufacturing factory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Saturday, nearly three months after the tragedy.
The bodies are expected to reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:05am aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight (BG-336), according to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
The victims were among 16 Bangladeshi workers killed in a fire that broke out at the factory on August 9.
The bodies of nine victims were brought back to Bangladesh on August 27, while the remaining seven could not be identified immediately as they were severely burnt.
Their identities were later confirmed through DNA tests.
The seven victims have been identified as Md Shahin of Naogaon Sadar; Md Hasibul Hasan Shuvo, Minhaj Pramanik, Md Masidul Sardar Sajib and Md Sagor Ali of Atrai upazila in Naogaon; and Mohammad Shamim and Md Sabbir Hossain of Naldanga upazila in Natore.
According to the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh, all flights from Riyadh have remained suspended since October 10.
As a result, the bodies were transported by road to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah before being flown to Dhaka.
The ministry said the bodies would be handed over to the victims’ relatives or their representatives after arriving at the airport.
Local administration officials have maintained contact with the bereaved families and coordinated with the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board to facilitate the repatriation process.
The government will also bear the transportation and burial costs, according to local administration sources.
The return of the bodies is expected to bring some closure to the grieving families, who have been waiting for more than two and a half months to bring their loved ones home.
