Nine Dead, Including Seven Bangladeshis, in Kolkata Hotel Blaze

A tragic fire broke out late at night at approximately 2:00 AM on Tuesday at a residential hotel located on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata. The horrific blaze resulted in the deaths of nine individuals at the scene, plunging multiple families and communities into deep sorrow across borders.

Authorities confirmed that among the nine fatalities, seven victims were citizens of Bangladesh who were staying at the Kolkata accommodation. The deceased Bangladeshi nationals include four members of the same family: thirty-eight-year-old Debashish Dutt, his twenty-৭-year-old wife Afsana Shimmin, their two-and-a-half-year-old son Shornashish Dutt, and his sixty-five-year-old father-in-law Akram Ali. The other three Bangladeshi victims have been identified as Ahmmed Babu from Aminbagh in Savar, alongside Rebati Sarkar and S. M. Alimuzzaman, both hailing from Kaliganj in Satkhira.

Dilip Kumar, grieving the loss of his family, expressed his utter devastation over the incident. 'Debashish was my only child. He ran the family's expenses. He was the sole source of our income. My wife and I need ten thousand taka for medicine every month. Now how will the family run? His little daughter lost her parents and brother. What shall we console her with? How shall we raise her?' he lamented, while mentioning his eight-year-old granddaughter.

Firoz Hossain, a relative who had traveled with them, detailed their recent itinerary. 'Debashish went to Kolkata on August 3 with his child to get his wife treated. From there they went to Bengaluru, Karnataka. I and my father-in-law Akram Hossain also went to Bengaluru for treatment. After treatment, I returned home last Monday. My father-in-law stayed back with Debashish. Today (yesterday) Wednesday was the day for them to return home,' Firoz explained regarding the timeline.

Firoz added further details regarding the moment the tragedy came to light. 'In the morning, I called Debashish's mobile many times, but no one responded. Later, someone from the embassy received the phone. Only then did I know the tragic news. I am going to Kolkata to receive the dead bodies. Finishing all procedures, I might return with the bodies tomorrow (today Thursday),' he stated.

Colleagues and acquaintances also remembered the victims with heavy hearts. Anisuzzaman Dablu shared his disbelief and grief regarding Debashish Dutt. 'Debashish was a favorite person of all. He was a journalist from head to toe. His meditation and knowledge were about news. The day before going to India, he came to my office. In the morning, I was opening the television and watching the news– seven Bangladeshis died in a fire at a hotel in Kolkata. Among them was Debashish– I cannot accept this. His smiling face is floating in front of my eyes again and again,' he recalled.