Kolkata Hotel Fire Kills Bangladeshi Journalist Debashis Dutta and His Family

A devastating hotel fire in Kolkata has claimed the lives of nine people, including Bangladeshi journalist Debashis Dutta, 39, his wife Afsana Sharmin, 27, their three-year-old son Swarnashish Dutta, and Debashis’s father-in-law Mohammad Akram Ali, 64.

The tragedy occurred at a residential hotel in Kolkata late Tuesday night. Authorities have so far identified six of the nine victims, including five Bangladeshi nationals and one Indian citizen from Jharkhand.

According to Debashis Dutta’s family, he was travelling in India with his wife, young son and father-in-law.

Debashis was a journalist from Kushtia and worked as the Kushtia correspondent for Ajker Patrika and Channel Nine. He also served as executive editor of the local newspaper Ajker Alo.

His family said they had travelled to India on August 3 because Afsana Sharmin was undergoing medical treatment. After receiving treatment in Bengaluru for 13 days, the family returned to Kolkata on Tuesday, August 18, as they prepared to return to Bangladesh.

They were staying at a residential hotel in Kolkata when the fire broke out.

The fifth Bangladeshi victim has been identified as Ahmed Babu, 40, from Aminbazar in Savar, Dhaka. His father was Adam Ali.

Authorities have also identified Sandeep Paswan, a resident of Giridih district in Jharkhand, India.

The identities of three other victims have yet to be confirmed.

News of Debashis Dutta’s death has plunged his family and colleagues in Kushtia into deep grief.

Journalist Touhidi Hasan, a friend of Debashis, said he and others rushed to the journalist’s home after learning about the tragedy. Family members were reportedly devastated by the news, with some relatives unable to speak because of the shock.

Debashis leaves behind an eight-year-old daughter, while his parents are also still alive.

The deaths have sent shockwaves through Bangladesh’s journalism community, particularly in Kushtia, where Debashis was known for his work with several local and national media outlets.