Saudi Factory Fire Kills 16 Bangladeshi Workers, Probe Underway

A fire at a sofa factory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, killed 16 Bangladeshi migrant workers. Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury expressed deep shock and sorrow over the tragedy. According to a ministry statement, the workers were from Naogaon, Natore and Rajshahi.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia is coordinating with local authorities and officials at the site of the incident. The ministry has instructed officials to expedite the repatriation of the victims’ bodies and ensure government assistance and compensation for their families.

16 Bangladeshi Workers Killed In Saudi Factory Fire

The fire broke out at a sofa factory in the Musa Industrial Area under the Al-Shifa police station in Riyadh around 2:00pm yesterday, killing 16 people on the spot, as per a statement quoted by The Daily Star.

According to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, 13 of the deceased were from Naogaon -- Farid, Shuvo, Md Rubel Pramanik, Suman, Md Kaliyuddin, Md Mohon, Md Sumon, Minhaj, Hridoy, Shaheen, Abdul Jalil, Majidul and Shagor; two were from Natore -- Shamim and Sabbir; and one was from Rajshahi -- Shyamol.

The Daily Star reported that the local fire service was still carrying out rescue operations when the notification was issued around 1:30am today (Bangladesh time).

The Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on Facebook, “Once the identification process of the bodies of 16 Bangladeshi citizens killed in the tragic fire that broke out at a sofa factory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia yesterday is complete, necessary arrangements will be made to bring the bodies back home with the consent of their families.”

Bangladesh Embassy In Contact With Saudi Authorities

The Embassy of Bangladesh in Riyadh also said it was working to gather detailed information about the incident and provide assistance to those affected.

Md. Shariful Islam, Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment said in a condolence message, “The untimely and tragic death of our expatriate brothers working in distant Saudi Arabia in pursuit of livelihood is very heartbreaking. Their contribution to the country's economy is immense. I am deeply saddened by their sudden demise and express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family members of the deceased.”

The Foreign Ministry said, “It is worth noting that officials of the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh arrived at the scene immediately after receiving the news of the accident. The Bangladesh Embassy is working closely with the relevant Saudi authorities to identify the deceased and complete the formalities for the body. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is constantly monitoring the emerging situation and providing assistance accordingly.”