Jhalakathi launch fire: CID collects DNA samples from victims’ relatives

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police in Barguna has started collecting DNA samples from families of missing passengers of MV Abhijan-10 to identify the unclaimed bodies.

Some 23 samples from relatives of the launch fire victims were collected at the Barguna Sadar Hospital between 4pm and 8pm on Monday.

According to the Barguna Deputy Commissioner's Office, total 35 people are still missing in the launch fire incident.

So far, DNA samples have been collected from the relatives of 27 missing passengers.

Samples of relatives of the remaining missing passengers will be collected on Tuesday.

Bodies of 37 people have been recovered from River Sugandha.

Of these, the identities of 14 people were confirmed and the remaining 23 bodies were buried as unclaimed.

Speaking to The Business Standard, Jahangir Hossain, father of missing Junaid, 7, of Barguna's Taltali upazila, said, "If my son was burnt to death inside the launch, he was washed away in the river by the fire service as they doused the fire."

"Who will they look for with this [collected] sample?" he added.

When contacted, Barguna Deputy Commissioner Habibur Rahman said, "We have prepared a list and are collecting the samples according to that."

A massive fire broke out in the engine room of MV Abhijan-10 in the middle of River Sugandha off the coast of Jhalakathi Sadar upazila at around 3am on 24 December.

The incident left some 40 people charred to death and scores injured.

The number of missing is at least 54 as per the data from Red Crescent Bangladesh's Jhalakathi district office.

The vessel was reportedly carrying about 1,000 passengers, according to witnesses and passengers.