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Riyadh: A fire at a sofa manufacturing factory in Saudi Arabia’s capital has killed 16 Bangladeshi workers, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday, August 10.

The blaze broke out on Sunday, August 9, in the Musa Sanaiya industrial area of Riyadh. Bangladeshi officials said the country’s embassy in Riyadh was coordinating with Saudi authorities to identify the victims and complete the formalities for repatriating their bodies.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry said it was closely following the incident and conveyed condolences to the families of the deceased.

Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ariful Haque Chowdhury instructed officials to speed up the repatriation process and ensure that the victims’ families receive government assistance, including the prescribed compensation.

One worker survives

Seventeen Bangladeshi workers were reportedly at the factory. Habibur Rahman Habib was the only survivor, as he had left the premises shortly before the fire broke out.

According to information provided to Bangladeshi officials, Rahman had gone for a haircut at around 1.30pm. When he returned, he found the factory engulfed in flames.

Local fire service sources told the Bangladesh Embassy that eight workers died from burns, while the remaining victims died from smoke inhalation.

Embassy coordinates repatriation

Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the fire or provided further details about how the blaze started.

Bangladesh Embassy officials reached the site after being informed of the incident and began working with Saudi authorities to establish the identities of those killed and complete the necessary legal procedures.

The embassy is also assisting affected individuals and coordinating arrangements to transfer the bodies to Bangladesh.

The investigation and procedures to repatriate the victims’ bodies are ongoing.

Saudi Arabia hosts 3.5 million Bangladeshis

Saudi Arabia is the largest destination for Bangladeshi migrant workers, with an estimated 3.5 million Bangladeshi nationals living and working across the Kingdom.

Remittances from the community are an important source of income for Bangladesh. Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia sent more than $2.7 billion to their home country during the past year, according to data cited in reports on the incident.