US-Bangla plane crash in Nepal

DNA test to identify 3 more Bangladeshis

The relatives of three of the Bangladeshi passengers who died in the Nepal plane crash will have to wait for some more time to get their bodies, as it would require the matching of DNA samples. The DNA samples of the three deceased passengers, who were on board the US-Bangla Airlines plane that crashed on March 12, will reach Dhaka today (Wednesday), according to Dr Sohel Mahmud, forensic expert of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

“A sub-inspector from CID and a DNA analyst will bring the DNA samples to Dhaka on Wednesday,” the forensic expert told journalists yesterday.

The three deceased passengers are suspected to be Mohammad Nazrul Islam from Chapainawabganj, Pias Roy from Barisal and Mollah Alifuzzaman from Khulna. The bodies are now at the morgue of the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) in Kathmandu.

Mahmud said the identification of the three bodies will be confirmed after matching the DNA samples with their relatives that might take a week’s time.

Soon after the plane crash, a high-powered Bangladeshi medical team had reached Kathmandu to identify the bodies because most of them were charred. Mahmud, who was among the team, had returned home on Monday after completing all the necessary tasks for the identification of the bodies.

He said they have confirmed the identity of Nazrul Islam’s body from a preliminary examination, but it also needed DNA testing.

“After the samples reach here, the DNA of relatives will also be collected for matching. It'll need around a week,” he added.

Earlier, on Monday, the forensic department of TUTH said all the

Nepalese victims had been identified, while the bodies of three Bangladeshis might need DNA testing for identification, Kathmandu Post reported yesterday. “We have demanded additional information from the Bangladeshi embassy in Kathmandu about the passengers who were yet to be identified,” said Dr Pramod Shrestha, chief of the TUTH forensic department. It would take a month to conduct DNA tests to identify the bodies, he added.

Doctors use a variety of identification techniques before the bodies are handed over to their families. Accessories such as earrings, jewellery or details like shape of jaws help doctors ascertain the identity of a deceased. They also try to secure fingerprints of the deceased and match them with prints on their citizenship or other national identity cards. DNA test is the last resort when these techniques fail, the report said.

Also on Monday, 23 out of the 26 bodies were handed over to the bereaved relatives at Army Stadium in Dhaka.

Meanwhile, some of the relatives who received the bodies had completed their burial. Our Noakhali correspondent adds: Four victims were buried at their respective villages in Noakhali and Feni after the third Namaz-e-Janaza yesterday. NGO worker Rafiquzzaman Remu, his wife Sanjida Haque Bipasha and their son Aniruddha Jaman were buried at Kesharkhali village under Sonaimuri upazila in Noakhali district, while Matiur Rahman Palash was buried in Aaurkhil village of Sonagazi in Feni district.

The bodies of Rafiquzzaman, Sanjida and Aniruddha were brought to Kesharkhil Girls’ School yesterday morning. Tina Pal, on behalf of the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Sonaimuri upazila, and Badiul Alam Majumder, secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, were among those present there.  Later the bodies were buried at their family graveyard. Menhazajur Rahman, UNO of Sonagazi upazila, Kamrul Anam, chairman of Sonagazi upazila, and Rafiqul Islam, mayor of Sonagazi municipality, were among those present at the janaza of Matiur Rahman.

Two other victims were laid to rest at Nagarhawla village under Sreepur upazila of Gazipur district yesterday morning after namaj-e-janaza at Abdul Awal College and Nagarhawla village.

The victims buried in Sreepur were identified as Faruk Ahmed Priok (32) and his three-year-old daughter Tamarra Prionmoyee.

Sreepur UNO Rehana Akter and people from all walks of life paid their last respects to the deceased on the college premises.

Besides, Akhtara Begum was laid down at Gorhanga graveyard at Rajshahi Mahanagar and an employee of Runner Group Mahmudur Rahman Rimon was buried at the family graveyard at Daneshman Bagdadi Mazar Sharif at Nagarkanda upazila in Faridpur district.

 

US-Bangla plane crash in Nepal

DNA test to identify 3 more Bangladeshis

The relatives of three of the Bangladeshi passengers who died in the Nepal plane crash will have to wait for some more time to get their bodies, as it would require the matching of DNA samples. The DNA samples of the three deceased passengers, who were on board the US-Bangla Airlines plane that crashed on March 12, will reach Dhaka today (Wednesday), according to Dr Sohel Mahmud, forensic expert of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). A sub-inspector from CID and a DNA analyst will bring the DNA samples to Dhaka on Wednesday, the forensic expert told journalists yesterday. The three deceased passengers are suspected to be Mohammad Nazrul Islam from Chapainawabganj, Pias Roy from Barisal and Mollah Alifuzzaman from Khulna. The bodies are now at the morgue of the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) in Kathmandu. Mahmud said the identification of the three bodies will be confirmed after matching the DNA samples with their relatives that might take a weeks time. Soon after the plane crash, a high-powered Bangladeshi medical team had reached Kathmandu to identify the bodies because most of them were charred. Mahmud, who was among the team, had returned home on Monday after completing all the necessary tasks for the identification of the bodies. He said they have confirmed the identity of Nazrul Islams body from a preliminary examination, but it also needed DNA testing. After the samples reach here, the DNA of relatives will also be collected for matching. Itll need around a week, he added. Earlier, on Monday, the forensic department of TUTH said all the Nepalese victims had been identified, while the bodies of three Bangladeshis might need DNA testing for identification, Kathmandu Post reported yesterday. We have demanded additional information from the Bangladeshi embassy in Kathmandu about the passengers who were yet to be identified, said Dr Pramod Shrestha, chief of the TUTH forensic department. It would take a month to conduct DNA tests to identify the bodies, he added. Doctors use a variety of identification techniques before the bodies are handed over to their families. Accessories such as earrings, jewellery or details like shape of jaws help doctors ascertain the identity of a deceased. They also try to secure fingerprints of the deceased and match them with prints on their citizenship or other national identity cards. DNA test is the last resort when these techniques fail, the report said. Also on Monday, 23 out of the 26 bodies were handed over to the bereaved relatives at Army Stadium in Dhaka. Meanwhile, some of the relatives who received the bodies had completed their burial. Our Noakhali correspondent adds: Four victims were buried at their respective villages in Noakhali and Feni after the third Namaz-e-Janaza yesterday. NGO worker Rafiquzzaman Remu, his wife Sanjida Haque Bipasha and their son Aniruddha Jaman were buried at Kesharkhali village under Sonaimuri upazila in Noakhali district, while Matiur Rahman Palash was buried in Aaurkhil village of Sonagazi in Feni district. The bodies of Rafiquzzaman, Sanjida and Aniruddha were brought to Kesharkhil Girls School yesterday morning. Tina Pal, on behalf of the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Sonaimuri upazila, and Badiul Alam Majumder, secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, were among those present there. Later the bodies were buried at their family graveyard. Menhazajur Rahman, UNO of Sonagazi upazila, Kamrul Anam, chairman of Sonagazi upazila, and Rafiqul Islam, mayor of Sonagazi municipality, were among those present at the janaza of Matiur Rahman. Two other victims were laid to rest at Nagarhawla village under Sreepur upazila of Gazipur district yesterday morning after namaj-e-janaza at Abdul Awal College and Nagarhawla village. The victims buried in Sreepur were identified as Faruk Ahmed Priok (32) and his three-year-old daughter Tamarra Prionmoyee. Sreepur UNO Rehana Akter and people from all walks of life paid their last respects to the deceased on the college premises. Besides, Akhtara Begum was laid down at Gorhanga graveyard at Rajshahi Mahanagar and an employee of Runner Group Mahmudur Rahman Rimon was buried at the family graveyard at Daneshman Bagdadi Mazar Sharif at Nagarkanda upazila in Faridpur district.