Death of Nazrul Islam (34), a driver, who fell on 10 May 2007 from the roof of his employer’s building whilst smoking and was electrocuted during his fall

The investigation took place in June 2007, about one month after the incident.

Investigators talked with Mir Abdus Selim, the managing director of Meghla Transport who informed them that Nazrul had worked for them as a driver for the last 8 months and used to drive on the ‘Bhulta-Kalabagan’ route in a car owned by Ibrahim.  Before getting this job he used to drive local cars.

He said that on 10 May 2007, at 12:30pm Nazrul was standing and smoking on the west corner of the roof located on the 2nd floor of Meghla Transport Society’s office. Abdus Selim speculated that Nazrul’s head must have suddenly started to spin causing him to lose his balance and fall from the roof.  As he fell from the roof, he was electrocuted by an electric cable. As a result, the left side of his body was burned and he died immediately.

As his accident was very tragic, Mir Abdus Selim and the other employees of Meghla Transport all contributed and collected Taka 50,000/-. This money was given to Nazrul’s wife on 17/06/2007. Meanwhile, Nazrul’s family was also given Taka 10,000/- by Ibrahim, the owner whose car Nazrul used to drive.

According to Mir Abdus, no provisions under the transportation law require compensation to be paid for this type of accidents. The owners had provided the abovementioned financial assistance to the victim’s family only out of compassion.

Abdus Selim told the investigators that as far as he knew, Nazrul used to live with his wife and son at Dhaka’s Shanir Akhra Sheikhdi Bashpatri. Currently, they are living in their village home in Munsiganj. He did not know the correct address but he supposed that he would be able to find the address within a few days.

The investigators also talked with a peon of Himalaya Transport who supported the above statement.

An unlawful death cases had been registered