8 Bangladeshis identified among dead in Saudi bus accident, 18 under treatment

Eight Bangladeshis have been identified among the 24 people who lost their lives when a bus carrying Haji pilgrims overturned on their way to the holy city of Makkah. This information has been confirmed from the Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah. The Consulate General Office also said that 9 Bangladeshis are still missing.

Arifuzzaman, First Secretary (Labour) of the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah, told the media that 35 of the 47 passengers on the bus were Bangladeshis. 24 passengers lost their lives in the accident. Eight of them have been confirmed to be Bangladeshis. And the treatment of 18 injured people is being investigated. The embassy is also investigating the remaining 9 people.

The identified victims are Shahidul Islam and Mohammad Helal of Noakhali, Mamun Mia and Russell Molla of Comilla, Sabuj Hossain of Laxmipur, Mohammad Asif of Cox's Bazar, Mohammad Imam Hossain Roni of Gazipur and Ruku Mia of Chandpur.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka, Sehli Sabreen, said that relatives have been requested to contact the two hotline numbers of the Saudi Embassy to find out about the dead and injured. The two numbers are +966538643532 and +966553026814.

A bus from Saudi Arabia was going to the holy city of Makkah with 47 passengers who were going to perform Umrah. Most of the passengers were Bangladeshis. The bus carrying Umrah pilgrims overturned while crossing a bridge connecting Saudi Arabia's southwestern Asir province and the city of Abha. At one point the bus caught fire.