Fire killed 26 BD men in Bahrain in 2 years

Three Bangladeshi nationals have reportedly been killed in a fire incident in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, on Friday morning.The deceased were identified as Mosharaf Hossain, 32, Abu Zalal, 30, and Dulal Mian, 30, all hailing from Burichang upazila in Comilla district.First Secretary (Labour) to the Bangladesh embassy in Bahrain Md Mohidul Islam confirmed the deaths.He said: “They might have died from suffocation after a short circuit at a two-storey building which is accommodation for some 50 Bangladeshi labourers.”He said, the incident occurred at the two-storey building in the Mukha Rekha area of Manama at around 4:30am on Friday (Bangladesh time). “The bodies were taken to Salmania Medical Centre,” he added.Two others were injured in the incident received primary treatment at the hospital. According to Gulf Daily News, 26 Bangladeshis have so far died in Bahrain in separate fire incidents in the last two years. About 80,000 Bangladeshis are now living in Bahrain.Bangladesh Embassy labour counsellor Mohammed Islam said Bangladeshi nationals continue to put their lives at risk, despite several awareness campaigns about home safety measures. “Our people are putting their own lives at risk by living in dilapidated or makeshift accommodations to save some money,” he said. “It is very unfortunate that three of our people died in the fire and we are waiting for the authorities to release their report after their investigations.” Ten Bangladeshis were killed in a blaze on May 27, 2012 in a makeshift labour camp located in East Riffa’s residential area.Another 13 Bangladeshis died on January 12 last year following a blaze at a building located in Mukharqa in Manama, making it the second deadliest fire in Bahrain’s history. More than 160 people lived in the three-storey building, which had 27 illegally constructed rooms.According to latest figures, there are 3,000 registered labour camps in Bahrain, housing 138,000 workers. There are close to 80,000 Bangladeshis living in Bahrain.