Fire at Resort in Cox's Bazar: 10 Bodies await DNA testing

In front of the morgue of Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, relatives sigh and weep as they wait for the bodies of their loved ones. Some have come looking for their spouses, some for their children, and others for multiple family members. But the bodies have been so badly burned and disfigured in the fire that their identities cannot be confirmed by looking at them.

DNA testing is now the only reliable means of identification. Yet the tourist city of Cox's Bazar does not have the necessary laboratory for this test. As a result, samples must be sent to the Forensic DNA Lab of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Dhaka to confirm the identities of the 10 tourists who died. Hospital sources said it could take up to two weeks to hand over the bodies.

On Saturday morning, a devastating fire broke out at the three-story wooden Tup Tup Restaurant and Resort in the Patuartek area of Inani in Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar. Ten tourists were killed and six others were burned. After an approximately seven-hour rescue operation, the operation ended at 3 pm with the recovery of 10 bodies. Four of the burned were sent to Dhaka by air for advanced treatment. The other two were released after receiving treatment at Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital.

Since Sunday morning, the relatives of the deceased have been waiting in front of the hospital morgue. The bodies cannot be handed over because their identities have not been confirmed.

Special Superintendent of Police of CID Md. Sufi Ullah said that several family members of those killed in the Cox's Bazar incident came to the CID office in Malibagh, Dhaka, on Sunday morning to provide DNA samples. Our forensic department is working.

Superintendent of Police of Cox's Bazar A N M Sajedur Rahman said that police have been able to contact the families of seven of the 10 deceased. Initiatives have been taken to collect DNA samples from their relatives and send them to Dhaka for testing. The bodies will be handed over to the families after identification is confirmed.

According to Dr. Subaktagin Mahmud Sohel, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, DNA testing is the most reliable scientific method for identifying burned and disfigured bodies. Cox's Bazar does not have the necessary lab and equipment for this test. Therefore, samples must be sent to the CID's forensic DNA lab in Dhaka. It may take several days to receive the test report. The bodies will be preserved in the hospital morgue until their identities are confirmed.

Special Superintendent of Police of CID Md. Abul Kalam Azad said initiatives will be taken to collect samples at hospitals in Cox's Bazar for DNA testing. If necessary, a team of CID experts may be brought from Dhaka to arrange testing in Cox's Bazar itself.
Meanwhile, after the fire, four members of the same family from Jashore were missing. They are Nahidur Rahman (41), his wife Afsana Matin Tanji (36), and their two daughters Robaina (7) and Sunaina (3). They had a booking to stay in room 202 of the resort from October 16 to 18. Since their names were not on the list of the deceased, concern arose among relatives over whether they had died in the fire.

Nahidur Rahman is the son of Matiar Rahman of Mohanpur village in Monirampur, Jashore. He worked at Grand Power Limited in Shyamoli, Dhaka. He lived in Dhaka with his wife and two children.

Nasrin Akter, a resident of Dhaka, was also missing. She had checked into the resort on Thursday with her two friends, Irene Jahan and Israt Jahan. Irene said they went to the beach early Saturday morning to watch the sunrise. They asked Nasrin to come along, but she stayed at the resort to sleep little more. When they returned a short while later, they saw the resort on fire.

Nasrin's husband, Dewan Faisal, came to Cox's Bazar on Saturday afternoon after hearing the news. He said, "I rushed to Tup Tup Resort but could not find Nasrin. The condition of the bodies I saw at the hospital was such that there is no way to identify anyone. DNA testing will be needed to identify them."

Nasrin had been a teacher at Swapnabilas Niribili School in Ashulia. She got married to Dewan Faisal six years ago.

A committee led by Tasnim Jahan, Additional District Magistrate of the Cox's Bazar District Administration, has been formed to investigate the cause of the fire and irregularities in the resort's operation. On Sunday morning, members of the committee visited the scene. They spoke with eyewitnesses and locals to gather information about the origin of the fire, irregularities related to approvals, and security arrangements.

Tasnim Jahan, head of the investigation committee, told journalists that the resort did not have the necessary approvals from the Fire Service, the Department of Environment, and other relevant authorities. Although a final notice had been issued against the establishment earlier, effective action was not taken. The cause of the fire and the matters of running the business without approval are being investigated.

Police filed a case at Ukhiya Police Station on Saturday night over the fire incident. Four people were named, including the resort's owner Md. Tanvir Ahmed, his business partner Niaz Morshed, and manager Mohammad Suman.

Another 19 unnamed people were made accused in the case. Police said the owner has gone into hiding since the incident. The resort's manager, Mohammad Suman, has been arrested. He was later sent to jail through the court. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ukhiya Police Station Atiqur Rahman Majumder confirmed the information.