A major fire at a sofa manufacturing factory in Riyadh has killed 16 Bangladeshi migrant workers, according to officials in Bangladesh.
The fire broke out on Sunday in the Musa Sanaiya industrial area of the Saudi capital, killing the workers in the deadly blaze.
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was closely monitoring the situation, while officials from the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh are coordinating with Saudi authorities over the necessary procedures.
The embassy is also working to complete formalities for the repatriation of the victims’ bodies to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury has instructed officials to arrange the return of the bodies as quickly as possible and ensure that the bereaved families receive the necessary government assistance and compensation.
Saudi Arabia is the largest overseas destination for Bangladeshi migrant workers, with around 3.5 million Bangladeshis living in the kingdom.
Their contribution is also significant to Bangladesh’s economy, with Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia sending home more than $2.7 billion in remittances last year.
Authorities in Saudi Arabia are expected to investigate the cause of the fire and examine safety conditions at the factory. Further details about the circumstances surrounding the deaths were not immediately available.
For the victims’ families in Bangladesh, the tragedy has brought grief and uncertainty as officials work to bring their loved ones home.
