DHAKA: Rescuers Thursday officially called off their operation after pulling up another body from under the debris of the Begunbari building that took the death toll to 24 in the catastrophic house collapse.

The dead was identified as 3-month-old baby Bishal. Of the total 24, eight are children, nine women and seven men.

Meanwhile, the government Thursday formed a five-member committee to investigate the incident. Housing and Public Works Ministry formed the committee headed by Zillur Rahman, the ministrys joint secretary.

The probe body has been asked to submit the findings within a week, sources said.

Earlier, the sources said, director-general of fire service Brig-Gen Abu Nayeem Shahidullah had ordered the rescue operation to be ended after observing the overall situation and talking to local people.

Head of fire brigade (Dhaka Zone) Fatema Akter earlier told banglanews24.com.bd, "We are conducting rescue operation. Some 21 bodies were recovered till 5 PM Wednesday".

The four-storey building went haywire on three tin-shed houses at Begunbari in Tejgaon industrial area. More than 50 people were also injured in the crash. Among them, 12 were admitted into Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

City Corporation, RAZUK, firefighters and Army men of engineering corps conducted a massive rescue operation after the collapse of one of Dhaka’s so many jerrybuilt buildings.

Later, more than 100 members of Red Crescent and Rover Scout joined in the rescue operation on Wednesday morning.

BDST: 02;40 Hrs,June 3, 2010.
SRR/BK/MMK/SMM/SMS/MUA