Fire in Kolkata Hotel: Bodies of 5 brought home via Benapole
Photo: Agamir Somoy
Of the seven Bangladeshi nationals killed in a fire at the "Shikha Inn" residential hotel in Kolkata's New Market area, the bodies of five have been handed over through the Benapole International Checkpoint.
The bodies were transferred to the Benapole Checkpost Immigration Police by India's Petrapole Immigration Police on Saturday afternoon at 5:30 PM, following the necessary formalities at the zero line.
Relatives had been waiting since morning at the Benapole land port with ambulances to receive their loved ones. A somber atmosphere of grief descended upon them as the bodies arrived.
The five individuals whose remains were brought via Benapole are: Debashish Dutta, district correspondent for the daily Ajker Patrika and a resident of the Mohini Mill area in Kushtia; his wife, Afsana Sharmin; their three-year-old son, Sharnashish Dutta; his father-in-law, Md. Akram Ali; and Ahmed Babu, a businessman from Aminbazar, Savar, Dhaka. All of them had gone to India for medical treatment.
According to Debashish Dutta's family, the bodies of Debashish and his son Sharnashish will be cremated according to Hindu religious rites. The bodies of Afsana Sharmin and Akram Ali will be buried following Islamic traditions. Debashish had married Afsana after having affairs nine years ago.
Mohammad Ali, the elder brother of the deceased businessman Ahmed Babu, said that Ahmed Babu had gone to Kolkata for medical treatment two days before the incident. He died in the fire at the Shikha Inn hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street. He had come to Benapole on Friday afternoon to receive his brother's remains.
The devastating fire broke out around 2:00 AM on Wednesday, 19 August, claiming a total of nine lives. Among the deceased were seven Bangladeshi citizens and two Indian nationals.
After completing post-mortem examinations and other necessary legal procedures, the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission and the local administration took steps to repatriate the bodies of the deceased Bangladeshis.
The five bodies were handed over on Saturday afternoon through the international checkpoint at Benapole land port.
Meanwhile, the body of S. M. Alimuzzaman, a resident of Satkhira, entered the country through the Bhomra border around 12:30 PM on Saturday.
However, it has been learned that the body of Rebati Sarkar, a resident of Kaliganj in Satkhira, will be cremated in Kolkata cremation ground at the request of the family.
Ferdous Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of the Benapole Checkpost Immigration Police, said that after completing all formalities, the five bodies were transported into the country through the Benapole checkpoint. Following legal procedures upon arrival, the remains were handed over to the families.
