Cox’s Bazar resort fire: Owner, manager sued; DNA tests to identify 10 bodies

Police have filed a case over yesterday’s (17 October) fatal fire at Tuptup Resto & Resort in Patuartek, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, reportedly naming resort owner Tanvir Ahmed and manager Mohammad Sumon as accused.

Besides, authorities will decide on handing over the 10 recovered bodies to their families after DNA tests establish their identities.

Ukhiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Atiqur Rahman Majumder confirmed the case filing at around 10:15pm yesterday. He declined to disclose the number of accused or their identities.

However, a source at Ukhiya Police Station, speaking on condition of anonymity, said police named Tanvir, a resident of Boalkhali, as the prime accused. Manager Sumon is also named in the case.

The source could not confirm the total number of accused. Police have Sumon in custody and have shown him arrested in the case.

OC Atiqur said DNA tests will help establish the identities of the recovered bodies and resolve uncertainty over missing persons. 

The bodies will remain at the morgue of Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital until the authorities decide whether to hand them over to their families, he added.

Cox’s Bazar-based Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Special Superintendent of Police Md Abul Kalam Azad said authorities will arrange to collect DNA samples at various hospitals in Cox’s Bazar.

If necessary, the CID will bring a specialised team from Dhaka to conduct the tests locally, he said.