Two workers were killed and at least five others were injured as an under-construction building of Khagrachhari Hill District Council (KHDC) in Sadar upazila collapsed on Saturday afternoon.
The deceased were identified as Saiful Islam, 25, of Rangpur and Sazzad, 17, a local, said Fire Service and Civil Defence Station Officer Rajesh Barua.
The injured are Md Rokon, 38, Md Shahjahan, 24, Md Hanif, 25, Md Sohel, 23, and Md Hanif, 27.
They were among the 16 workers working on the front side of the building, added the FSCD officer.
He said the under-construction balcony of KHDC’s annex building collapsed suddenly around 5 pm as the slab used for the balcony was supported by bamboo instead of steel.
According to the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies’ annual report on workplace deaths in Bangladesh, the construction sector consistently ranks second to the transportation sector in most years. According to the 2021 report of BILS, of the 1,053 workers killed in workplace accidents across the country last year, 154 were in the construction sector – again second behind transportation.
Members of the Fire Service, Army, police and Red Crescent immediately rushed to the spot to conduct a rescue operation.
The matter will be investigated, said Rajesh Barua.
The construction work of the KHDC administrative building began in 2018 and continues in phases.
Source: United News of Bangladesh