Bangladesh receives bodies of six citizens killed in Kolkata fire

Bodies of six Bangladeshis killed in a Kolkata hotel fire were returned home Saturday, including four members of the same Kushtia family, three days after the blaze.

Journalist Debashish Dutta, his wife, Afsana Sharmin, their 3-year-old son, Swarnashish Dutta, and Dutta’s father-in-law, Akram Ali, were among five victims repatriated through Benapole. Babu Ahmed of Aminbazar in Dhaka was also returned there. Satkhira resident SM Alimuzzaman was brought through Bhomra.

Dutta and his son were cremated in Kushtia after public tributes, while Sharmin and Ali were buried at a municipal graveyard.

Rebati Sarkar of Satkhira was cremated in Kolkata at her family’s request.

West Bengal police arrested Hotel Shikhain owner Bireshwar Mitra in connection with the fire. Bangladesh’s diplomatic mission assisted families with repatriation.