Rescue operations roll into second day
Emergency workers and rescue teams resumed operations for the second day at the seven-storey building in Dhaka's Gulistan, where a blast killed at least 19 and injured hundreds others on Tuesday.
A team of the Fire Service and Civil Defence arrived at the spot around 9am on Wednesday, confirmed Rashed Bin Khaled, duty officer of the fire service control room.
Initially, four firefighting units operated on the site. They were soon joined by 11 more units and members of the Bangladesh Army.
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Lt Col Rashid, who was leading the army's rescue team, while speaking with The Business Standard, said, "We, along with Rab, Rajuk, and fire service, are conducting the rescue operation. An assessment of the building is being done. Necessary steps will be taken following the findings.
"Besides, RAB's dog squad is on the spot searching for those who may be trapped under the rubble. We will take steps accordingly as the condition of the building is hazardous. There is a possibility of it collapsing during our rescue operation."
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Amid the rescue efforts, hundreds of friends and relatives of the victims gathered in front of the impacted buildings.
Many complained that the rescue efforts had started late. During a break in operations, which resumed again in the evening, many people volunteered to go to the building's basement.
Earlier, fire service officials had said it was not possible to carry out the rescue operation in the basement of the building as it was still in "risky" state.
As a result, the operation had to be delayed this morning, following a pause around 11pm on Tuesday night.
Noor Nabi, brother-in-law of the missing Mehedi Hasan Swapan, a manager at a sanitary shop, said he had arrived from Chattogram last night.
He was still waiting for news of his Noor.
"I have been sitting in front of the building since evening. My sister's condition is very bad. They have a 10-year-old boy and seven-year-old girl. At some point yesterday, the fire service said that they will not be able to carry out rescue work at night.
"In the morning, we had several arguments with law enforcers. The administration hasn't been able to do anything. They told us to find out on our own."
Other families of missing persons also expressed disatisfaction at the rescue operations starting late and ending around 11pm on the first day of the disaster.
When asked about the slow progress of the rescue operation, Major Mashiur of Rab's bomb-disposal unit said, "We are currently clearing the rubble and other items kept inside the building."
Three still missing
Momin Uddin Sumon, who was missing since the explosion on Tuesday, was found dead around Wednesday evening.
Family members identified his body after law enforcers recovered two more corpses from the debris on Wednesday.
Sumon owned a sanitary shop on the first floor of the building.
Three people are still missing in the explosion: Md Mehdi Hasan Swapan, Imtiaz Md Bhuiyan Salim, and Abdul Malek.
