N'ganj mosque fire death toll rises to 27

Two more victims of the air conditioner blast at a mosque in Narayanganj’s  Fatullah area has died at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka. 

One of the deceased is Monir Farazi, 30, son of Sobhan Farazi from Bakerganj upazila of Barisal district. He currently lived in Narayanganj’s West Talla area. The other one is Imran, 37, a garment worker and son of Alauddin from Naria upazila of Shariatpur district.

Dr Partha Shangkar Paul, a resident doctor at the institute, confirmed the matter on Monday.  

So far, a total of 27 people, including a child, have died from burn injuries sustained during the blast which took place at Baitus Salah Jame Mosque on Friday. 

At least 10 other people are still being treated at the institute. Of them, nine are in critical condition.

Following the legal process, 24 bodies have been handed over to their relatives without autopsy, said Md Shahidul Islam, station officer of Siddique Bazar fire station.

On Saturday, police filed a case of "murder by negligence" over the incident, suspected to be caused by a gas leakage in pipelines.  

The case has been filed against the mosque's management committee, its construction authority, the concerned electricity and Titas Gas authorities, among others. 

Four separate probe committees – by Narayanganj district administration, Fire Service, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd, and Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) -- have been formed to investigate the incident.