Body of Kolkata hotel fire victim SM Alimuzzaman Saju returns home to Satkhira for burial

The body of SM Alimuzzaman Saju, a Bangladeshi national who perished in a hotel fire in Kolkata, was laid to rest at his home in Boreya village, Satkhira, on Saturday. The burial took place at his unfinished house, where a grave had been prepared in front of the structure intended to be his future residence.

Saju, a fish farm entrepreneur, was among the nine victims of a fire that broke out at the Shikha Inn residential hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata on August 19. Seven of the deceased were Bangladeshi nationals.

The ambulance carrying Saju’s body arrived at his home in the Kaliganj upazila of Satkhira at approximately 2:15 p.m., following a 45-kilometer transit from the Bhomra land port. The arrival was marked by heavy rainfall, forcing relatives to cover the open grave with plastic sheets to protect it. His funeral prayers were scheduled to be held at the Sardar Bari Jame Mosque following the Asr prayer.

Saju’s elder brother, Saheb Sardar, expressed profound grief, noting that the construction materials for the second floor of the house, which Saju had planned to renovate upon his return from India, remained stacked in front of the property. “He told me he would start the work after coming back from India. He returned, but as a corpse,” said Ismail Hossain, who managed the property.

Dhaka South City Corporation administrator stresses public participation in curbing mosquito menace

Read Article

Residents of Boreya village described Saju as a popular and benevolent figure known for assisting those in need, regardless of their religious or social background. Childhood friend Bhavesh Ghosh, who visited to pay his respects, noted the deep void left by his death, emphasizing Saju’s inclusive nature.

While Saju’s remains were repatriated, the family of another fire victim from Satkhira, Rebati Sarkar, decided against bringing his body back to Bangladesh. According to his son, Anik Sarkar, Rebati Sarkar was cremated at the Nimtala crematorium in Kolkata early Friday.

Of the seven Bangladeshi victims, the remaining five are expected to be repatriated through the Benapole port in Jashore. The victims of the fire included individuals from Kushtia and Dhaka, alongside the two from Satkhira. Administrative and legal procedures were completed at the Bhomra immigration checkpoint before the body was handed over to the family earlier today.