Bangladesh News

At least 11 Bangladeshi workers and three other nationals were killed and 16 others injured in a road accident at Aqaik near the Saudi Arabian city of Dammam around 6:00pm Saudi time on Thursday.

The dead were identified as Arifur Rahman, son of Tayabur Rahman, Abdul Kader, son of Akbar, Monirul Islam, son of Khokon Ali, Mintu, son of Halim Mannan, Abdul Halim, son of Habibullah, Mahbubur Rahman, son of Ahad Ali, Al-Amin Khan, son of Ziauddin, Billal, son of Muzahid, Solaiman, son of Mohammad Khurshid, Selim Mia, son of Shahadat, and Yasin.

Confirming the deaths, Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ikramul Haq told The Daily Star yesterday evening that the dead bodies were sent to the morgue of a hospital in Dammam, but their addresses were yet to be learnt.

A few of the injured, whose conditions were not very critical, were admitted to a hospital in Dammam, King Fahad Hospital and Al Aqaik General Hospital, he said.

First Secretary (labour) Abul Kalam of Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh reached the spot of accident yesterday morning and was working to locate the injured and gather their names and addresses, Ikram said.

The accident occurred as the bus carrying the workers from their work site to their hostel collided with a jeep at Aqaik, some 400km off capital Riyadh around 9:00pm Bangladesh time.

Ikram said all the dead Bangladeshis were construction workers and nine of them were working for the Saudi Electric Company.

“As soon as we get the addresses of the deceased from their employers, we shall seek opinion from their families if they want the dead bodies to be returned home or buried here,” said the ambassador.

Bangladesh Embassy will also call on the employers to pay any outstanding salaries or other facilities and insurance benefits of the deceased workers. The authorities will also probe the accident and the responsible will have to compensate for the loss of lives and injuries to the workers, he added.

But, it will be difficult to realise compensation for any irregular worker, he said.

Saudi Arabia is the largest labour market for Bangladesh with around 15 lakh Bangladeshis working there.