The bodies of six of the seven Bangladeshis killed in a devastating fire at the Shikha Inn hotel in Kolkata’s New Market area are set to be repatriated on Saturday (August 22).
Arrangements have been made to bring five of the bodies back through the Benapole border, while the body of SM Alimuzzaman of Satkhira is expected to be returned through the Bhomra border, according to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata.
The body of another Bangladeshi victim, Reboti Sarkar, will be cremated in Kolkata at the request of the family. The Bangladesh mission has been coordinating with the Indian authorities to complete the necessary formalities.
The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission is also coordinating with Indian authorities and the victims’ families to complete the procedures required for repatriation. The Bangladesh government is bearing the cost of bringing the bodies home.
The bodies were kept at Peace World in Kolkata’s Park Circus area on Friday night ahead of their return to Bangladesh after the necessary documentation was completed.
Post-mortem examinations of all nine people killed in the fire were completed at the police morgue of Kolkata Medical College and Hospital on Thursday (August 20). Seven of the victims were Bangladeshi nationals and two were Indian citizens.
The bodies being repatriated include those of Kushtia residents Debashish Dutta, Afsana Sharmin, their child Swarnashish Dutta and Md Akram Ali.
The bodies of Ahmed Babu of Savar and SM Alimuzzaman of Satkhira are also being brought back to Bangladesh.
Reboti Sarkar, a resident of Kaliganj upazila in Satkhira, is to be cremated in Kolkata in accordance with the family’s wishes.
The fire broke out early Wednesday (August 19) at Shikha Inn, located in a five-storey building on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata.
Nine people were killed in the blaze. After identification procedures were completed, seven of the victims were confirmed to be Bangladeshis.
The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission has been coordinating with Indian authorities and the victims’ families over identification, post-mortem examinations, documentation and repatriation of the bodies.
FP/A
