The bodies of six Bangladeshi expatriates killed in a terrible fire in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province were burned beyond recognition. Identifying them has therefore become extremely difficult.
A shop owner at the scene, Alamgir Hossain, said the bodies had been burned so badly in the intensity of the fire that there was no way to identify anyone by sight.
He said the bodies were in no state to be recognised.
He also said that, on the advice of religious scholars and local people, arrangements for the burial of the bodies might be made after the legal process is completed. A final decision from the relevant South African authorities on the matter has not yet come, however.
South African police are continuing their investigation to establish the cause of the fire. The legal and forensic process necessary to confirm the identities of those killed also continues. No official information about the actual cause of the fire has been released until the investigation is completed.
Deep grief and concern have spread among the Bangladeshi expatriates living in South Africa over the tragic incident. Relatives of those killed have demanded that identities be confirmed quickly, that proper arrangements be made for the bodies and that necessary assistance be ensured.
The Bangladesh High Commission is monitoring the matter closely. Led by the high commissioner, Shah Ahmed Shafi, the first secretary, Toufiqul Islam, and embassy officials are in constant contact with the relevant South African authorities and are working to confirm the identities of those killed, provide necessary legal assistance and support the relatives.
Expatriate Bangladeshis have called on the relevant authorities in Bangladesh and South Africa to complete the forensic process quickly and confirm the identities of those killed, to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured Zahirul Islam and to stand by the families of those killed.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report