The namaz-e-Janaza of seven Bangladeshi nationals from Naogaon who were killed in a fire at a sofa manufacturing factory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have been completed.
The joint Janaza was held at 10:15am on Friday at the grounds of Molla Azad Memorial College in Atrai Upazila of Naogaon.
The funeral was attended by Sheikh Mohammad Rezaul Islam Rezu, Member of Parliament for Naogaon-6 (Atrai-Raninagar) constituency; Naogaon Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saiful Islam; Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Monirul Islam; Atrai Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Moniruzzaman; Atrai Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mahbub Alam; and officials from various levels of the administration, along with local residents.
After the Janaza, the bodies were handed over to the victims’ relatives. The family members later took the remains to their respective villages for burial.
Earlier, the bodies arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight at 4:05pm on Thursday. They were later transported to Atrai in freezer ambulances and reached the upazila at around 1:30am on Friday.
The arrival of the bodies brought deep sorrow among the victims’ families. Relatives and local residents gathered at the Atrai police station compound from Thursday night to pay their final respects and see their loved ones for the last time.
The seven victims from Naogaon, whose identities were confirmed through fingerprint tests by Saudi authorities, were identified as Farid, son of Moyen Uddin from Udonpoy village in Atrai; Rubel Pramanik, son of Saidur Rahman from Gandagohali village; Mohan Ali and Sumon Ali, sons of Guffar Pramanik from the same village; Kalimuddin, son of Bazlur Rahman from Gandagohali village; Sohel Rana, son of Badal Tarafdar from Dubai village; and Abdul Jalil Sarder, son of Tamej Uddin Sarder from Parkasunda village.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh confirmed the identities in a notice signed by its Counsellor Muhammad Rezaye Rabbi on Tuesday.
Atrai Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Moniruzzaman said the local administration had remained in constant contact with the families of the deceased.
He said the necessary documents had been sent to Saudi Arabia and the bodies were brought to Atrai without any cost to the families through ambulances hired with administrative coordination.
The UNO said that although initial reports suggested that 13 people from Atrai Upazila had died in the Saudi factory fire, the identities of 11 victims from Atrai and one from Naogaon Sadar Upazila have so far been confirmed. The process of bringing back the remaining bodies is ongoing.
He added that the decision to hold a joint Janaza for the seven victims was taken after discussions with their families.
