7 Bangladeshi workers' remains arrive in Dhaka from Riyadh

The remains of seven Bangladeshi workers who died in a devastating fire at a sofa manufacturing factory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have arrived in the country, completing the repatriation of all 16 victims from the incident.

The bodies reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at around 8:30AM on Saturday aboard Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-336.

The fire broke out at a sofa manufacturing factory in Riyadh on August 9, claiming the lives of 16 Bangladeshi workers.

In the first phase of repatriation, the remains of nine workers were brought back to Bangladesh on August 27. However, the remaining seven could not be immediately identified because their bodies had been severely burnt in the fire. Their identities were subsequently confirmed through DNA testing.

According to diplomatic sources, flights from Riyadh had been temporarily suspended since October 10. As a result, the remains were initially transported by road from Riyadh to Jeddah before being flown to Dhaka from King Abdulaziz International Airport aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.

The seven workers identified through DNA testing are Mohammad Shahin of Naogaon Sadar; Mohammad Hasibul Hasan Shuvo, Minhaj Pramanik, Mohammad Masidul Sardar Sajib and Mohammad Sagor Ali, all from Atrai upazila of Naogaon; and Mohammad Shamim and Mohammad Sabbir Hossain from Naldanga upazila of Natore.