Photo: BSS

DHAKA, Oct 15, 2025 (BSS) - The bodies of 16 people who died in Tuesday's devastating fire at Sialbari, Rupnagar in Mirpur will be handed over to their families only after DNA profiling is completed, police said.

Sub-Inspector Muklesur Rahman of Rupnagar Police Station confirmed the development to the media, explaining that multiple families have claimed some of the same bodies. 

"To avoid any confusion, DNA profiling will be carried out before the handover," he said.

Inquest reports have already been prepared for all 16 bodies recovered from the ready-made garment (RMG) factory.

The Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) authorities collected bone and tissue samples from six of the bodies today, and their autopsies were conducted in the presence of CID forensic lab examiner Md Masud Rabbi.

Rabbi told media that samples from the remaining 10 bodies will be collected tomorrow. He urged family members of the victims to provide their own DNA samples at the CID Headquarters lab in Malibagh at 9:00am on Thursday. The collected DNA samples will be matched to confirm the identities of the victims.

The tragic fire broke out Tuesday morning in a RMG factory and an adjacent chemical warehouse. Firefighters recovered 16 bodies from the garment factory that same day and sent them to the DMCH morgue.

While the blaze in the RMG factory was extinguished on Tuesday, the fire in the chemical warehouse was only partially brought under control by Wednesday afternoon. Fire service officials said it may take considerable time to fully douse the remaining flames.