The air in Kushtia’s Aruapara grew heavy with grief on Saturday night as four coffins arrived at the residence of journalist Debashish Dutta.
A devastating fire in Kolkata, had claimed the lives of Debashish, his wife Afsana Sharmin, their two-year-old child Swarnashis Dutta, and Afsana’s father, Akram Ali on 19 August. As the coffins arrived at approximately 10:30pm, the home was immediately filled with the tears and wails of heartbroken relatives.
The tragedy deeply moved the local community, bringing together relatives, journalist colleagues, political figures, and people from all walks of life who rushed to the residence to stand in solidarity and pay their final respects.
The family members are scheduled for different final resting places on the same night. The last rites for Debashish and his young child, Swarnashis, were scheduled to be performed at the Kushtia Maha Smashan.
Meanwhile, Afsana and her father, Akram Ali, were to be buried at the Kushtia Municipal Graveyard.
Abdur Razzak Bachchu, president of the Kushtia Journalists’ Union, expressed the collective sorrow of the town, noting that the sudden departure of four family members is an irreparable loss for both the grieving relatives and the entire population of Kushtia.
To support the bereaved families, the district administration, through Kushtia Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Harun-or-Rashid, provided financial assistance of Tk100,000 each to the families of Debashis and Afsana.
