"It is likely to take another 15 days to complete all necessary formalities to bring back the bodies of all the seven Bangladeshi workers," said A K M Shamsuddin, secretary in-charge of the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment yesterday.

He said the ministry is in contact with Bangladesh consulate in Jeddah to bring back the bodies within the shortest possible time and to realise all outstanding dues and legitimate compensation for the dead workers.

"As per directive of the ministry, the Bangladesh consulate in Jeddah is also maintaining contacts with the company concerned and the Saudi authorities so that the families of the victims get compensation as early as possible," he said.

Seven Bangladeshi and an Yemeni expatriate workers were suffocated by fumes when a fire broke out in a locked furniture warehouse in Taef in western Soudi Arabia on July 9. They could not come out of the locked room where they were asleep.

The bodies were kept at the mortuary of King Faisal Hospital in Taef, sources said.

The dead Bangladeshi workers are Abdur Rouf and Dalim from Noakhali, Naser from Laxmipur, Naser from Cosba in Brahmanbaria, Nizamuddin from Laksham in Comilla, Nurunnabi from Sonagazi in Feni and Rafiq from Khashial in Narail.