Eight Bangladeshis among 22 pilgrims dead in Saudi bus crash

Among the 47 passengers, 35 were from Bangladesh, says an official at the consulate in Jeddah

Eight of the 22 Umrah pilgrims who died in a fiery bus crash in Saudi Arabia were Bangladeshi, according to the Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah.

A total of 47 passengers were on the bus, of which 35 were from Bangladesh, an official at the consulate said on Tuesday.

The consulate received confirmation on the death of eight Bangladeshi passengers and was working to know the condition of the others, he added.

The bus hit a bridge, overturned, and burst into flames, leaving many injured as the vehicle's brakes failed in the southwestern Asir province bordering Yemen on Monday.

Aired footage showed the charred remains of the bus after the fiery crash.

The crash occurred during the first week of the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan when many people travel to Makkah for the Umrah pilgrimage.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Seheli Sabrin said 18 of the Bangladeshi nationals who were injured in the accident were receiving treatment at hospitals.

The ministry said in a statement the Bangladeshi victims were migrant workers.

It said two officers of the consulate visited the area immediately after the incident and were trying to identify the victims and contact their family members in Bangladesh.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs extends its heartfelt condolences to the relatives of those who have lost their lives in this tragic accident and remains connected with the wounded and hospitalised and is working for the early repatriation of the dead.”

The ministry gave phone numbers of officials at the Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah and urged the relatives of the victims to contact them.

The numbers are tel:[phone] (First Secretary of Labour Aktaruzzaman) and tel:[phone] (Minister of Labour Welfare M Kazi Emdadul Islam).

THE VICTIMS

The consulate released the names of the eight Bangladeshis killed in the accident.

They are Shahidul Islam and Mohammad Helal from Noakhali, Mamun Mia and Rasel Molla from Cumilla, Sabuj Hossain from Laxmipur, Md Asif from Cox’s Bazar, Md Imam Hossain from Gazipur and Ruk Mia from Chandpur.

The consulate said some of the injured victims were in critical condition.

Four other Bangladeshis missing in the accident have been identified as Gias Uddin from Cumilla, Shefayet Ullah from Cox’s Bazar, and Nazmul Hassan and Rony from Jashore. 

Seven to nine Bangladeshi passengers of the bus were still missing, the consulate said.