Chittagong: A director and two engineers of Bahaddarhat Flyover Project were suspended on Monday in connection with deaths in collapse of three girders of the under-construction flyover on Saturday.

The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) took action against project director and its executive engineer AMM Habibur Rahman, assistant engineer Tanjid Hossain and deputy assistant engineer Salauddin Ahmed Chowdhury, said CDA Chairman Abdus Salam.

He also announced to compensate Tk 2 lakh each victim’s families and bear the treatment cost of injured people.

Another body was recovered from under the debris of the collapsed girders at Bahaddarhat in the port city on Monday noon, taking the total death toll from the accident to 14.

Police said the rescuers retrieved the body of the unidentified man at about 12:00 noon. Later, the body was sent to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital morgue for autopsy.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and CDA have formed two more investigation committees to probe the girder collapse.

The ministry formed a three-member committee, headed by its Additional Secretary Shyam Sundar Sikdar, to look into the accident, said State Minister for Housing and Public Works Advocate Abdul Mannan.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within four days, he said.

The CDA has formed another five-member investigation committee, led by its chief engineer Nasiruddin Mahmud, CDA board member Mofizur Rahman said, adding that the committee has been given a week to turn up with its finding.

The three girders of the under-construction flyover in Bahaddarhat area collapsed at about 7:30pm on Saturday, leaving an unspecified number of people either trapped or killed under the debris.

Over 100 people were also injured, many of them in cops-protesters clash, following the collapse of the girders.

On Sunday night, firefighters confirmed the death of at least six people. Later, the rescuers recovered seven more bodies.

The rescue operation initially got disrupted as thousands of people, outraged by the fatal incident, staged violent demonstrations at the spot torching the site office of the construction company and a police box and vandalising some passing vehicles.

As the clash escalated, Army and RAB personnel were called out to quell the protest and join the rescue operation, Deputy Director of Chittagong Fire Service Ruhul Amin said. 

They feared that the death toll may rise as a number of people still remained trapped under the debris.

The rescue operation is being conducted under the supervision of Army. A joint team of Army, BGB, police and RAB encircled the spot.

Ends/AMA/26/11/12