A fire at a residential hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street near New Market in central Kolkata killed nine people late on 19 August, including six Bangladeshi citizens and a child, according to the article. The victims had travelled to Kolkata seeking medical treatment. The article says the blaze has raised concerns over hotel fire safety, evacuation arrangements and conditions faced by Bangladeshi visitors.

It reports that smoke rapidly engulfed the building, while narrow access routes, insufficient exits, poor ventilation and alleged fire-safety shortcomings complicated rescue efforts. An air-conditioner explosion and an electrical short circuit are being considered in the preliminary inquiry, but the cause has not been conclusively determined. The five-storey building reportedly housed multiple hotels or guesthouses on different floors.

The article calls for an impartial investigation, examination of hotel licences and safety records, preservation of CCTV footage, and sharing of forensic and post-mortem information. It urges Bangladeshi authorities to provide legal and consular assistance to affected families, including support for compensation, insurance, medical costs and repatriation of bodies. It also calls for safety audits at hotels used by Bangladeshi medical travellers.