The bodies of five of seven Bangladeshi nationals killed in a fire at Kolkata’s Shikha Inn residential hotel were returned to Bangladesh through the Benapole International Checkpost on Saturday. Indian Petrapole immigration police handed over the bodies to Benapole immigration police at the zero line after required formalities at about 5:30 pm.

Those returned through Benapole were Kushtia journalist Debashish Dutta, his wife Afsana Sharmin, their three-year-old son Sharnashish Dutta, Debashish’s father-in-law Md Akram Ali, and Savar businessman Ahmed Babu. Relatives had waited with ambulances at Benapole land port, where their arrival prompted mourning. Family members said Debashish and his son would be cremated under Hindu rites, while Afsana and Akram Ali would be buried under Islamic rites.

The fire broke out around 2 am on Wednesday at the hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata’s New Market area, killing nine people, including seven Bangladeshis and two Indians. Another victim, Satkhira resident SM Alimuzzaman, was brought through Bhomra land port, while Revati Sarkar’s body will be cremated in Kolkata at the family’s request.