6 Bangladeshis killed in South Africa arson attack

Six Bangladeshi nationals, five of them from Narayanganj, were killed and another seriously injured in a suspected arson attack at a supermarket near Komani (formerly Queenstown) in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province, triggering scenes of grief in their home villages.

The Bangladesh High Commission in Pretoria launched efforts to assist the victims and repatriate the bodies.

The deadly fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday at a supermarket in Sumo Town, near Komani, where several Bangladeshi migrants were inside the building. According to relatives, the victims were unable to escape as the blaze rapidly engulfed the premises.

The deceased were identified as Mohammad Fahim, 29, son of Monir Hossain of Koker Char in Alirtek Union; Mohammad Apon, 23, son of Ali Mia of the same area; Nur Mohammad, 55; Mohammad Faisal, 26, son of Faruk Hossain of Tailkhira Char in Baktabali Union; Mohammad Shahin, 30, son of the late Akhtar Hossain of Kanainagar, all in Narayanganj Sadar; and Mohammad Rajik, 55, son of the late Salam Bepari of Kalindipara in Mirkadim Municipality of Munshiganj.

News of the tragedy plunged the victims’ families into mourning, with relatives struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss of loved ones who had travelled abroad in search of a better future.

At Koker Char in Narayanganj, Ali Mia broke down after learning that his son Apon had died in the blaze. Apon had moved to South Africa four years ago to improve his family’s financial condition.

His father runs a small tea stall, while his mother, Aklima Begum, is a homemaker. His elder brother is employed in Saudi Arabia.

Apon’s maternal uncle, Russell, said the family never imagined he would return home in a coffin.
“He went abroad to change the family’s fortunes. We never thought he would come back as a dead body,” he said.

Another victim, Fahim, had been living in South Africa for around 11 years and was the principal breadwinner for his family. His brother-in-law, Mohammad Sajib, said Fahim had supported the entire household through his earnings.

“There is nothing but crying in our home. Fahim looked after the whole family,” he said.

Family members said they were in contact with members of the Bangladeshi community in South Africa and were awaiting further information regarding the cause of the fire and arrangements to bring the bodies back to Bangladesh.

Narayanganj Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer SM Faiz Uddin told the media that local authorities had learned that five of the six deceased were residents of Narayanganj, while one was from Munshiganj.
“We are visiting the homes of the victims and collecting detailed information after speaking with their family members,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh High Commission in Pretoria in a statement expressed profound sorrow over the deaths of six Bangladeshi citizens and the serious injury suffered by another in what it described as a tragic fire incident in Sumo Town near Komani.

The mission conveyed its deepest condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for the eternal peace of the deceased and wished the injured Bangladeshi a speedy recovery.

The High Commission said High Commissioner Shah Ahmed Shafi was travelling to Sumo Town on Tuesday afternoon to visit the scene of the incident, gather first hand information about the victims and meet those affected.

During the visit, he is scheduled to hold formal meetings with the relevant local administration and senior officials of the South African Police Service to discuss the latest developments in the investigation, the circumstances surrounding the incident and the assistance required for the affected Bangladeshis.

The mission said it remained fully committed to ensuring all possible support on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh, including facilitating the repatriation of the bodies and extending necessary assistance to the victims’ families.