Four members of a journalist’s family from Kushtia were killed in a fire at a hotel in Kolkata, India, early Wednesday.
The four were among five Bangladeshi nationals killed in the blaze. In total, nine people died in the incident, which occurred in Kolkata’s New Market area.
Kolkata police confirmed the deaths and said several others were injured in the blaze.
The four victims from the same family were Debashis Dutta, 37, acting editor of Kushtia-based Daily Ajker Alo; his wife, Afsana Sharmin, 25; their son Swarna Shish Dutta; and his father-in-law, Md Akram Ali, 64, of Thanapara in Kushtia town.
Another victim was identified as Ahmed Babu, son of Adam Ali, from Begunbari in Aminbazar, Savar.
Initial reports said Swarna Shish was three and a half years old, while family sources said he was two.
Debashis was also Kushtia district correspondent of Ajker Patrika and Channel 9, and served as joint general secretary of the Kushtia Press Club.
According to family members, Debashis travelled to India with his wife and son on 3 August for medical treatment. The family spent 13 consecutive days in Bengaluru before travelling to Kolkata.
He shared an update about their stay in Bengaluru on Facebook, writing: “Bye bye Bengaluru after 13 consecutive days…”
The couple had left their eight‑year‑old daughter, Mohima Dutta, also known as Pakhi, in Kushtia under the care of her grandparents during the medical trip.
The fire has cast a deep shadow of grief over the family and sparked widespread mourning among the local community and journalists in Kushtia.
