Three construction workers died from electrocution while cleaning an underground water tank in Dhaka’s Bashundhara residential area on Saturday. The incident occurred around 12:30pm at an under-construction building on Road 14, Block E.
The victims have been identified as Faridul (40), Rabbi (17), and Liton (35).
According to Rabbi’s cousin Md Walib, the deceased were rod-fitting labourers working at the construction site of a building that had only completed its ground floor. On the day of the accident, they were engaged in removing bamboo scaffolding and cleaning the underground water tank. The workers had taken an electric bulb inside the tank for lighting purposes.
The sequence of events turned fatal when Faridul first climbed down into the tank using a ladder but collapsed into the water within seconds. Hearing the commotion, Rabbi descended the same ladder and also fell unconscious. Another worker, Shahinur, attempted to rescue them but was similarly electrocuted. Witnessing this, Liton raised an alarm and tried to help, only to suffer the same fate.
Other workers at the site quickly cut off the electricity supply and managed to pull all four men out. While Shahinur survived, Faridul, Rabbi and Liton were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Vatara Police Station’s Acting Officer-in-Charge Rakibul Hasan confirmed that the three workers died from electrocution while removing bamboo poles inside the underground tank. The bodies have been sent to Dhaka Medical College morgue for autopsy as authorities continue their investigation into the incident.