The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police has identified 11 of the 19 people, who were burnt beyond recognition in the recent tragic Chawkbazar fire in Old Dhaka, through DNA tests so far.
The CID gave the information at a press conference at its media centre in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Additional DIG of CID Sheikh Md Rezaul Haider expressed the hope that they would be able to hand over rest bodies immediately after going through the medical identification process by the concerned authorities of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.
"Besides, identification process of the remaining four unidentified bodies would require more days to be completed," the CID said.
The eight identified dead bodies will be handed over to respective families on Wednesday and the three others will be handed over on Thursday, DMCH police camp in-charge Bachchu Mia told the FE.
After the fire incident on February 20, nine victims with severe burn injuries were admitted to the DMCH. Total four fire-hit victims died in DMCH burn unit while three victims got released after taking treatment.
Earlier, the CID had said 14 out of 19 unidentified bodies could be handed over to their family members within the next 15 days, but it would take more time to hand over the bodies of five other victims.
The authorities concerned have so far handed over 51 bodies to their families. At least 71 people were killed and 41 injured in the fire in a chemical warehouse that later raged through several nearby buildings at Chawkbazar in Old Dhaka.
A day after the incident on February 22, the CID started collecting samples through DMCH to cross-match DNA of unidentified victims in a bid to hand over the bodies to their family members.
As of latest information, at least 48 persons provided DNA samples for the remaining 19 bodies.
CID expressed the hope that they would be able to hand over the bodies immediately after going through the medical identification process, soon.
A case, however, was filed by the Sub Inspector of Chawkbazar with the police station a day later of the tragic fire.
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