Cumilla accident: Each victim's family to get Tk 1 lakh

The government will provide Tk one lakh to each family of the brick kiln workers who died yesterday when a coal-laden truck flipped over on a makeshift shed in Chauddagram upazila of Cumilla when they were sleeping.

Besides, the families of the injured will get Tk 50,000 each, said Akhterul Islam, public relation officer of the Ministry of Labour and Employment this morning.

State Minister for Labour and Employment Munnujan Sufian made the announcement to provide the compensation from Labour Welfare Fund, the PRO of the ministry said.

Thirteen brick kiln workers were killed and four others injured when the coal-laden truck overturned on a labour shed at a brick field in Chauddagram Upazila's Narayanpur in early morning yesterday.

WHAT HAPPENED IN CUMILLA BRICK KILN?

The tragic incident took place in early morning yesterday when a coal-laden truck flipped over on a makeshift shed at a brick kiln in Cumilla, leaving 13 workers, who were still sleeping, dead on the spot.

All the victims are from Nijpara and Shimulbari villages under Jaldhaka upazila of Nilphamari district. Nine of them were students at different schools. They went to Cumilla for part-time work at the brick field so they could support their families, family members said.

The incident happened inside K and Co Brick Field at Narayanpur in Chauddagram upazila of Cumilla.

The driver lost control over the wheels of the overloaded truck, which came from Majhirhat in Chittagong. It was in reverse gear and moving backward for parking and unloading the coal.

The vehicle overturned when one side of the truck climbed onto a six-feet high pile of coal there, according to police.

Eighteen workers were sleeping inside the shed when the truck fell on the shed with a huge bang, said Hossain, one of the five survivors, yesterday.

The trucker fled the scene after the incident, said Abdullah Al-Mamun, additional superintendent of police in Cumilla (south).

The accident also left two workers injured. They -- Bishnu and Ripon, both 18 years old -- took primary treatment at Cumilla Medical College Hospital.

WHAT COMPENSATION WILL BE PROVIDED BY CUMILLA DC?

Yesterday, Deputy Commissioner of Cumilla Abul Fazal Mir announced a compensation of Tk 20,000 for each family.

The district administration also formed a four-member committee and asked it to submit a report within seven working days.

Separately, Cumilla police set up a three-member committee to probe the incident and report its findings in three working days, said Cumilla Superintendent of Police Nurul Islam yesterday.