26 Bangladeshis died in Hajj stampede, 13 named, says foreign ministry

At least 26 Bangladeshi pilgrims have died in the stampede during Hajj in Mina, the foreign ministry has confirmed as Saudi Arabian authorities are still releasing the photos of all the victims.

In a statement, the foreign ministry on Tuesday said Bangladesh mission in Jeddha had identified those bodies at the central mortuary in Makkah.

Names of 13 of them have been ascertained and the mission has contacted their relatives.

The foreign ministry sought support of the accompanying pilgrims and hajj agents of the missing pilgrims asking them to contact Bangladesh Hajj Mission at Makkah (room no 107, phone- 00966-(0)125413980, [e-mail]) to help identify the other 13 bodies.

The statement said another 33 Bangladeshis are being treated at various hospitals in the Saudi city of Mina, where the stampede took place on Sep 24.

The Saudi authorities said 769 pilgrims were killed and 934 were injured in the incident during the ‘stoning of the Satan’ ritual.

The Bangladesh government was unable to confirm the number of casualties until late on Monday night when Ambassador in Saudi Arabia Golam Moshi briefed journalists in Saudi Arabia.

The foreign ministry apprehended that the actual death toll of Bangladeshi pilgrims might rise once the Saudi authorities released all photos.