Savar death toll rises to 967

The number of people who died at Savar’s Rana Plaza collapse climbed to 967 on Thursday.

A total of 149 dead bodies were retrieved from the ruins on the 16th day of the rescue operation, from the first hours of the day until 6:30pm in the evening.

The makeshift camp in front of the fallen structure released the latest death count on Thursday.

As many as 698 bodies have been handed over to relatives ever since the collapse on Apr 24.

Meanwhile, 76 dead bodies have been laid to rest at Jurain Graveyard with the help of Anjuman Mofidul Islam in two phases from noon to nightfall on Thursday.

DNA samples were collected from these unclaimed bodies before they were given to Anjuman from the morgues at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital and Sir Salimullah Medical College and Hospital, District Administrator Mohammad Yusuf Harun has said.

He said Anjuman so far have buried 80 bodies and 16 alone on Tuesday.

The Dhaka district administration’s control room at Adhar Chandra High School said still 75 dead bodies were kept on the school’s playground. There are 38 bodies at the Dhaka Medical College Morgue.

A total of 156 victims have been buried at Jurain Graveyard so far.

Rana Plaza collapsed on Apr 24 with around 5000 employees who used to work for the five readymade garment factories in the hazardous building.

Rescuers were able to remove the debris from the front of the fallen nine-storey structure. Rescue operations at the back of the building began on last Wednesday night. The debris from even one of the storeys could not be removed from there.

The rescue operation might take a few more days, according to Fire Brigade officials.

Most of the bodies being recovered are mangled. The dead are now being identified through ID cards or cell phones if they are found with the body.