Kolkata: Five Bangladeshi nationals have been confirmed among the nine people killed in a devastating hotel fire in central Kolkata, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata said on Wednesday. The blaze broke out in the early hours at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street, near the city’s New Market area.
According to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission, local police have so far identified five of the nine deceased as Bangladeshi citizens. Four of the five victims belonged to the same family. The identities of the remaining four people killed in the fire had not yet been confirmed by local authorities.
The five Bangladeshi victims have been identified as Debashish Dutta, 37, a journalist working as the Kushtia correspondent of Ajker Patrika and Channel 9; his wife Afsana Shimmin, 25; their two-year-old son Swarnashish Dutta; his 64-year-old father-in-law Akram Ali; and two-year-old Ahmed Babu, son of Adam Ali of Aminbazar in Savar, according to Bangladeshi media reports.
The fire broke out at around 1:45 am at the five-storey building, which houses several hotels and other establishments. The blaze sent thick smoke through the building, trapping people inside. Around 80 people were rescued, while six people were injured and taken for medical treatment.
The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission said six injured Bangladeshi nationals have since been released after receiving initial treatment. Officials from the mission are maintaining contact with hospitals, police and other authorities to assist affected Bangladeshi citizens and their families.
The mission has also opened a 24-hour helpline to provide emergency assistance and help relatives in Bangladesh obtain information about those affected by the tragedy. The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry and the Deputy High Commission are coordinating closely with Indian authorities over the incident.
Preliminary reports suggest that smoke inhalation may have been a major factor in several deaths. Investigators are also examining possible electrical faults and safety lapses. Reports have raised concerns over the building’s narrow exits and poor ventilation, which may have made evacuation more difficult.
The tragedy has prompted renewed scrutiny of fire-safety arrangements in Kolkata’s congested central neighbourhoods. West Bengal authorities have ordered an investigation into the incident, with officials expected to examine the cause of the fire and whether required safety norms were followed.
For the families of the victims in Bangladesh, the immediate priority remains confirmation, identification and the necessary arrangements for the deceased, while authorities continue their investigation into one of Kolkata’s deadliest recent hotel fires.
