The number of deaths from the mosque air-conditioner blasts in Narayanganj has increased to 23 as two more victims have succumbed to their injuries.
Another 15 people are battling for their lives at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka after near-simultaneous blasts of six air-conditioners during prayers at the Baitul Salat mosque on Sept 4, reports bdnews24.com.
The latest victims are ‘Julhas’, 35, and Shamim Hasan, 45, said Partho Shankar, the resident physician of the hospital.
The other victims are the mosque’s Imam Abdus Sobhan, 60, Md Nizam, 40, Nadim, 40, Md Baharuddin, 55, Kuddus Bapari, 72, Mostafa Kamal, 34, Jewel, 7, Md Rashed 30, Humayun Kabir, 72, Jamal Abedin, 40, Ibrahim Biswas, 43, Md Rifat, 18, Mainuddin, 12, Joynal, 38, Nayan, 27, Kanchon Howlader, 50, the mosque’s Muezzin Delwar Hossain, 50, his son Junayed, 16, Jobayer, 18, Jobayer’s brother Sabbir, 21, and Abdul Malek.
As many as 11 of them died until Saturday morning. Some of the victims were workers of readymade garment factories.
The child, Jewel, had burns on 95 percent of his body, according to the institute’s Assistant Director Dr Hussain Imam.
All the victims at the institute have suffered burns on at least 30 percent of their bodies, including respiratory tracts.
The authorities handed over bodies of 16 victims to their families until Saturday evening.
More than 50 Muslim worshippers sustained burn injuries when the air-conditioners exploded during prayers at the mosque.
The authorities believe gas accumulated inside the mosque after pipeline leaks may have triggered the blasts following an electric short-circuit.
The Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence, state gas transmission and distribution agency Titas and the district administration of Narayanganj each formed a committee to investigate the explosions.❐
