Published : 20 Oct 2024, 08:54 AM
Updated : 28 Aug 2026, 01:13 AM
At least182 people remain unaccounted-for after Gazi Tyres factory in Narayanganj’s Rupganj was attacked, looted and set ablaze, according to a report from an investigation committee formed by the district administration.
In the aftermath of the arson, which took place on the night of Aug 25, distraught relatives of the missing gathered at the factory gates early thenext morning.
As the number of missing persons grew, authorities were eventually forced to begin a formal registration process, collecting photographs and national identity cards from the families.
The relentless fire raged for five consecutive days, leaving relatives to fear that no one inside could have survived.
They sought at least the remains of their loved ones, but their hopes were dashed as the burnt-out factory was declared out of bounds for entry.
In a report submitted on Sept 12, titled ‘Details of the Injured, Affected, and Deceased in the Incident’, the committee said that during their visit to site scene of the incident, some individuals were frantically looking for their missing relatives outside the factory.
The committee organised a public hearing on Sept 1, where families provided information about 80 missing individuals.
“The local administration, police, and students compiled separate lists. Combined, we have preliminary information on 182 missing persons. We need to verify this information to create a comprehensive list,” the report said.
The committee also recommended that the remains be identified through proper procedures and returned to the families.
While the committee suggested assigning the task to the police's Detective Branch, District Superintendent of Police Pratyush Kumar Majumdar said he had not received any formal request regarding the verification of the missing persons list.
The Anti-discrimination Student Movement, which began as a demand for the reform of the quota system in government jobs, eventually transformed into an anti-government movement.
Amid widespread violence and casualties, the Awami League government was overthrown in a mass uprising on Aug 5, prompting many Awami League members to flee or go into hiding.
The factory's owner, former jute and textiles minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, a four-time MP from Narayanganj-1, was arrested in Dhaka on Sep 25.
That same night, a fire was set at the country's largest tyre manufacturing factory in Rupganj. Five days later, Fire Service personnel managed to extinguish the blaze.
On Aug 27, Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner Md Mahmudul Haque formed an eight-strong investigation committee, led by then Additional District Magistrate Hamidur Rahman, to identify the fire's cause and those responsible.
On Sep 12, the committee’s chairman submitted a 32-page report to the district commissioner.
In the report, the incident was described not merely as an accident but as ‘arson’, yet those responsible for the act were not specifically identified.
LOOTERS CLASH WITH ARMS
The report indicates that after news of Gazi's arrest spread locally, residents took to the streets in celebration.
Around 11:30am, individuals from Khadun area’s Kha Para Jame Mosque announced over the loudspeaker that those whose land had been forcibly taken within the factory should gather at Rupshi bus station by 3pm.
Around noon, 'criminals' entered the factory with the intention of looting. They forced out workers and staff before beginning their rampage.
By 4:30pm, another group of armed ‘criminals’ entered the factory. Around 5:30pm, confrontations and clashes erupted between multiple factions of the looters both inside and outside the factory.
Later, an announcement was made from Kha Para Jame Mosque urging locals to prevent the robbers from entering Gazi's factory, which further intensified the looting. The looters spread throughout the six-storey factory building, continuing their plunder.
An official from the factory said looting persisted from noon until the fire started at night. Throughout this period, no law-enforcing personnel were present on the scene.
The report said around 10:30pm, a group of looters ignited a fire on the ground floor and locked the gate shut before leaving.
At that time, many were occupied with looting on the upper floors. Due to the presence of flammable materials, the fire quickly spread to every level of the building.
Twelve units of the Fire Service battled for 22 hours to bring the blaze under control, with the fire extinguished completely five days later. The prolonged fire rendered the building ‘dangerous’, making rescue operations impossible.
However, relatives of the missing later recovered 15 bone fragments from the building, which were handed over to police.
The investigation committee's report said the factory was first looted on Aug 5, with several installations set ablaze at that time.
Looting continued until Aug 8, after which electricity and gas supplies to the factory were cut off.
SEARCH FOR BODIES AFTER BUILDING DEMOLITION
The administration's investigation report includes ten recommendations.
The first recommendation says that the recovery operation can be completed by demolishing the building using modern technology.
The responsibility for demolishing the building lies with the owners.
Deputy Commissioner Mahmudul said, “The administration has closed the building due to safety concerns. Once the building is demolished, recovery operations can be carried out inside. However, the factory management will carry out the demolition. We will assist if needed, but no specific timeline has been set for when the building will be demolished.”
Until the demolition, the investigation committee has recommended considering the building as unsafe and placing banners around it.
An official from the Gazi Tyres factory said, “We sent letters to the administration and BUET (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology) to inquire if anything could be done regarding the building. We have not received their approval.”
BONES SENT TO CID FORENSIC TEAM
The report recommends the appointment of an investigative agency to properly identify the bones and further verify the list of missing persons to finalise it.
Mahmudul said, “The building is extremely unsafe, so a complete rescue operation could not be conducted there. However, for the 182 families claiming their relatives are missing, a letter will be sent to the district police for verification.”
“In addition, arrangements will be made to send the recovered bones to the civil surgeon’s office for DNA testing.”
Police Super Pratyush said, “No letter has been received from the district administration regarding the verification of missing persons' information. Therefore, police are not currently taking any action on this matter.”
“However, the bones that have been found have been sent to the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) forensic team to determine whether they belong to humans or other animals. So far, no report has been received from the CID,” he added.
‘I’M A MOTHER, MY HEART IS BURNING’
bdnews24.com has spoken with the families of at least 30 missing persons over the past week through random selection.
The families said they have yet to find any clues regarding their missing members.
Nearly two months have passed since the incident, but no one from the administration has contacted the families.
In the current situation, many have given up hope of finding their loved ones alive. Some have left Narayanganj to return to their village homes after losing their relatives.
Elderly Rashida Begum is in despair, having lost track of her 20-year-old son Aman Ullah. In a tearful voice over the phone, she said: “You just call and ask. You cannot even provide news about my boy. I am searching every hospital, everywhere. I have not received any news. Tell your government, if they cannot bring my son’s burnt body, at least they could give me his bones.”
Amena Begum is in a similar predicament, still standing outside the Gazi Tyres factory searching for her only son, 26-year-old Apu Mia. However, she cannot enter the premises.
“It has been a month and a half. I go to Gazi’s factory but no one lets me inside. They say he died while trying to steal, and no one will give me any news. But that is my son! I stand there hoping for a glimpse of him. I have not found anything, not even his clothes. I have no other children; he was my only son. I am a mother; my heart is burning,” she said.
‘ADMINISTRATION AND GOVERNMENT WANT TO COVER THIS UP’
Mason Ali Hossain, 24, has been missing since the night of the fire. His family has now given up hope of finding him alive.
His younger brother, Mohammad Shakil, expressed frustration, saying: “There is no benefit in going to the administration. They are not doing anything. This is not a common incident; the number of missing persons is significant. The administration and the government want to cover this up. Otherwise, why have not they provided any updates after all this time?”
Abdus Salam from Barishal worked at a textile factory in Rupganj. He lived with his wife in a rented house. Salam’s name appears on the list of missing persons following the fire. His younger brother, Md Shamim, rushed to Rupganj from their village to search for him. After two days without any leads, he returned home.
“He [Salam] entered the factory with someone familiar from the area. I searched the factory, the surrounding area, and hospitals but found no clues. I comfort myself by thinking he may have gotten into some trouble and that he might return home safely one day,” said Shamim.
‘SHODDY INVESTIGATION’
Rafiur Rabbi, senior vice-president of the Narayanganj Nagorik Committee, has commented that the administration has conducted a ‘shoddy investigation’ into the fire incident at Gazi Tyres factory.
He said, “The law and order situation was extremely poor at the time of the incident, and it remains so. However, the Gazi Tyres incident is particularly tragic. After so many families have lost loved ones, the administration has conducted an investigation that seems merely an attempt to evade responsibility.
“The lack of a proper report regarding the missing persons is undoubtedly a failure of this government. They cannot escape this responsibility. They should have acted with more accountability,” he added.
According to Rupganj Police Station chief Liakat Ali, three cases have been filed concerning the attacks, looting, and arson that occurred between Aug 5 and Aug 8, followed by two more cases for similar incidents on Aug 25.
He added, “The cases have been filed by the factory authorities. Police are working to identify those involved in the attacks and arson.”
FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
The report outlines several recommendations:
• Enhanced investigations could be conducted through state investigative agencies, intelligence agencies, and law-enforcing agencies to identify the planners and perpetrators of the incident.
• Relevant departments could be tasked with recovering and identifying active mobile numbers registered in the names of missing persons.
• It is essential to ensure mandatory fire safety measures in every building, including multiple exits or elevators for safe evacuation.
• Separate burn units could be established in public district hospitals with trained doctors and staff.
• Adequate security measures could be strengthened to prevent any future sabotage or accidents in factories.
• Each organization involved in the rescue operations could be developed into a skilled workforce through sufficient training.
