Gulistan Blast: Another Injured Dies at DMCH, Death Toll Now 20

The death toll from the deadly explosion in a 5-storey building in Dhaka's Gulistan area rose to 20 as another victim succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital last night.

The deceased was identified as Musa Haider, 45. He had been undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery with 94% burn injuries. He succumbed to his injuries around 10:35 pm last night, said Inspector Bachhu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police outpost.

Earlier, on Tuesday, at least 17 people were killed and over 100 were injured in a massive explosion in a 5-storey building near a BRTC bus counter in the capital’s Gulistan area.

Meanwhile, two bodies were recovered from the debris yesterday — raising the death toll to 19.

The explosion occurred around 4:50pm with a big bang on Tuesday at Siddique Bazar in Gulistan.

A sanitary materials shop on the ground floor of the building, BRAC Bank office on one of the other floors and an adjacent 7-storey building were damaged but no building collapsed.

A four-member probe body headed by Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director of Fire Service and Civil Defense (Operation and maintenance), has been formed to investigate the explosion.

The committee was asked to submit its report within five working days, said Shahjahan Sikder, Deputy Additional Director of Fire service and Civil Defense headquarters media cell.