Mirsarai death toll 39, not 44: admin

Chittagong, July 13 (bdnews24.com) ? Mirsarai administration has said the number of deaths in the tragedy that took place on Monday is 39.

This is a backtrack from their previous account of 44 deaths.

Mirsarai Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) and Upazila chairman said they found the error while distributing aid to the families of the deceased on Wednesday.

"The number of deaths is 39, not 44," UNO Sayeed Kutub said, "The names Tarek and Rajib were recorded thrice and twice respectively, and Mithu Chandra Nath and Shuva Chandra Nath were injured, not dead."

Abu Torab High School's headmaster Zafar Sadeque also confirmed the error.

The 38 students and another were killed in a road accident in Mirsarai, Chittagong on Monday when the truck carrying them skidded off the muddy road after crossing a bridge. The accident took place at the connecting road between Bara Takia and Abu Torab Bazaar, only one and a half kilometres away from the Abu Toarb High School.

Survivors said driver Mofij Uddin was speaking into a mobile phone despite protests. Police remain unable to find Mofij, who his neighbours say was in fact a drivers' assistant without any driving licence.

Zaafr Sadeque said the error may have occurred due to the fact that many of the parents could not say which class their children belonged to.

"Also, amid the rush after the accident, some names were recorded more than once," he said.

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