N'ganj mosque blast death toll rises to 31

The death toll from the air-conditioner blasts at a Narayanganj mosque has climbed to 31 after two more victims succumbed to their injuries in a Dhaka hospital.

Nazrul Islam, 50, and Sheikh Farid, 21, died in intensive care at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery on Thursday afternoon, said Partho Shankar Paul, the institute’s resident physician.

Five others are battling for their lives in intensive care, he added.

“The air ducts of the fire victims are burnt. We are trying our best.”

More than 50 Muslim worshippers sustained burn injuries when six air conditioners at a mosque in Narayanganj’s Fatullah exploded on Sep 4.

As many as 37 of the victims were subsequently admitted to the burn institute.

Only one survivor, Mamun Prodhan, returned home from the institute on Monday.

The authorities believe gas accumulated inside the mosque after pipeline leaks may have triggered the blasts following an electric short-circuit.