Bodies of Four Kushtia Residents Killed in Kolkata Hotel Fire Return Home for Burial
Photo Collected
The bodies of four members of a Kushtia family, who perished in a hotel fire in Kolkata, India, arrived in their hometown on Saturday night, prompting an outpouring of grief across the community. The victims—journalist Debashish Dutta, his wife Afsana Sharmin, their son Shornoshish Dutta, and his father-in-law Akram Ali—were killed in a blaze at the Shikha Inn hotel in Kolkata’s New Market area on August 19.
The two ambulances carrying the remains arrived in the Aruapara neighborhood of Kushtia city around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, after traveling roughly 135 kilometers from the Benapole land port. The procession faced significant delays as thousands of mourners gathered to pay their respects, forcing organizers to relocate the caskets to the Tarun Sangha library premises, located about 200 meters from the family home, to facilitate final tributes from local social and cultural organizations.
A heartbreaking scene unfolded as the bodies were brought to the family residence. Debashish’s mother, Swapna Dutta, collapsed in grief upon seeing the remains of her son and grandson. Meanwhile, the couple’s seven-year-old daughter, Mahima Dutta, who survived the tragedy, remained withdrawn and refused to look at the caskets.
The final rites for the deceased were held separately in accordance with their respective religious customs. Debashish and his son, Shornoshish, were cremated at the Kushtia Mahashashan at approximately 2:00 a.m. on Sunday. The funeral prayers for Afsana Sharmin and Akram Ali were held at the Thanapara Model Jame Mosque, followed by their burial at the Kushtia municipal graveyard at 3:00 a.m.
The victims had traveled to India on August 3 for medical treatment. They were scheduled to return to Bangladesh on August 19, just hours after the fire broke out at the hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street. The incident claimed the lives of nine people in total, seven of whom were Bangladeshi citizens.
Debashish Dutta was a respected journalist, serving as the Kushtia correspondent for the newspaper Ajker Patrika and the private television channel Channel 9. He was also the acting editor of the Kushtia-based newspaper Ajker Alo and a former joint general secretary of the Kushtia Press Club.
In response to the tragedy, the district administration provided 25,000 taka to each family for funeral expenses. Harun Or Rashid, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Kushtia Sadar, delivered the financial assistance to Debashish’s father prior to the burial services on Saturday. With the passing of the four family members, Debashish is survived only by his elderly parents, his seven-year-old daughter, and an ailing sister.
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