4 of 5 Bangladeshis killed in Kolkata hotel fire from same family

Highlights

• Nine people killed and six injured in Kolkata hotel fire
• Five Bangladeshis among the dead
• Four victims from Kushtia are from the same family
• Fire broke out early today (19 August) at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street

Four members of the same family from Kushtia, including journalist Debashish Dutta, were among five Bangladeshi nationals killed in a fire at a hotel in central Kolkata early today (19 August).

The four victims are Debashish Dutta, 40, his wife Afsana Shimmin, 25, their three-year-old son Sharnashish Dutta and his father-in-law Md Akram Ali, 64. Their home is in Aruapara area of Kushtia town.

Gazi Mahbub Rahman, editor of Ajker Alo, confirmed Debashish and his family members' deaths.

The fifth Bangladeshi victim has been identified as Ahmed Babu from Savar in Dhaka, according to Mohammad Khaled, deputy high commissioner of Bangladesh in Kolkata, reports Prothom Alo.

Debashish Dutta was a Kushtia correspondent for Ajker Patrika and Channel 9. He also served as acting editor of local newspaper Ajker Alo.

He had previously worked as a Kushtia correspondent for several national media outlets, including Asian Television and Nagorik TV.

According to local sources, Debashish travelled to Bengaluru with his wife, son and father-in-law on 3 August for medical treatment. After completing treatment, they returned to Kolkata yesterday (18 August) and checked into the hotel.

They were scheduled to return to Bangladesh today.

Debashish's eight-year-old daughter, Pakhi, remained at their home in Kushtia and was not with the family in India when the fire broke out.

At least nine people were killed and six others injured in the fire that broke out at around 1:45am at a five-storey building on Mirza Ghalib Street, which houses several hotels and restaurants.

The fire service deployed five fire tenders to the scene. Police and Disaster Management Department personnel also joined the rescue operation.

According to local authorities, around 80 people were rescued from the building, while the fire was brought under control within about an hour. Dense smoke made it difficult for firefighters to reach the upper floors.

West Bengal Minister of State for Fire and Emergency Services Kaushik Chowdhury, after visiting the scene, said both Indian and Bangladeshi nationals were among those killed.

"There are several hotels inside this building. I am shocked to see what was going on here," he told reporters.

Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said nine people had died in the fire, including Indian and Bangladeshi nationals, and that five of the deceased had been identified as Bangladeshi citizens.

The ministry said the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission had contacted the families of the deceased. Four of the Bangladeshi victims were from the same family, while the identities of the remaining victims had yet to be confirmed by local authorities.

The ministry also said six Bangladeshi nationals injured in the incident had been discharged after receiving initial medical treatment.

Authorities suspect an electrical short circuit may have triggered the fire, although the exact cause has not yet been established.

"The building management did not comply with basic safety and construction norms. It is alleged that there were several irregularities in the functioning of the hotel," Minister Kaushik Chowdhury said.

He said a forensic examination would determine the cause of the fire.

A police officer said the building owner was absconding and that police had initiated proceedings against him at New Market Police Station.

Police have also begun raids at the owner's residence to locate him.