2 Bangladeshis killed in Makkah hotel collapse, 6 missing

Dhaka, Jan 6 (BDNEWS) – At least two Bangladeshis are among the victims of Thursday's hotel collapse in Makkah that left 53 people dead and 59 others wounded, while six Bangladesh nationals remained missing.

"So far, we came to know that two Bangladeshis are among the dead while six others remained missing since the accident," Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Major General (retd) SM Ikramul Haque told BDNEWS.

Among the six missing Hajj pilgrims, three are from one family and two from another.

The dead were identified as Abdur Razzaque, 35, a Hajj pilgrim and Mohammad Shafiq, 36, a salesman at a shop in the building that housed the dormitory for Hajjis.

Razzaque, son of Ruhul Amin, hailed from Raipara in Rajshahi. His body has been kept at the King Abdul Aziz Hospital.

"He (Razzaque) was not an inmate of the dormitory that collapsed, but went there to visit his relation," said Ambassador Haque.

Shafiq, son of Abu Sama, of Naikonkhali of Teknaf in Cox's Bazar district. His body has been kept at a hospital in Meena.

According to Bangladesh mission, the missing three from a family are: Golam Mohiuddin, son of Sheikh Wajed Ali, H# 7, R #51, Banani and his wife Jahanara Begum and her sister Begum Dilruba Islam, wife of Sheikh Nazrul Islam.

Mohammad Abdul Mukit, son of late Abdur Rob, H# 9, R# 5, sector 10, Uttara and his wife Begum Nahida Hossain Mukit are also missing since the tragic accident.

The another missing was identified as Mohammad Mantazul Haque, son of Mohammad Mozammel Haque, village Raninagar, PO Kazla, upazila Boalia in Rajshahi.

"The missing six and another two went to Makkah to perform Hajj through Al Taiyera International, a Hajj agency in Dhaka," said Ambassador Haque.

They had been staying in three rooms at Lulu'at Al Khair Hotel in Makkah, hired by the Hajj agency.

Shah Mohammad Ibrahim and his wife Rokeya Begum survived as they were not accompanying the missing six as they were late to return after the Johr prayers.

"Our officials and employees are looking into each and every hospital to check whether there is any Bangladeshi," Ambassador Haque told BDNEWS.

Meanwhile, reports reaching the port city from Satkania upazila said family members of Habibullah, 36, and Mohammad Hossain, 40, alias Moti Member came to know from other Bangladeshis working in Saudi Arabia that the two died in the tragedy.

Both of them had been working in groceries in Saudi Arabia for last 8-10 years.

Habibullah, son of Nurul Alam, hails from village Madarsha under North Rampura union in Satkania.

Son of Haji Mohammad Petan, Hossain alias Moti Member, hailed from village Eochia of same upazila.

Meanwhile, Hajj officials in Dhaka said that they are yet to receive any casualty report of any Bangladeshi in the Thursday's collapse in Makkah.

BDNEWS/2038 hrs