Kolkata hotel fire sends Bangladeshi tourists home early

A deadly hotel fire in Kolkata has triggered panic among tourists, with many Bangladeshis cutting short their trips and others postponing planned visits to West Bengal, according to reports in the Times of India and Anandabazar on Friday.

The fire at Shikha Inn in the New Market area late Tuesday killed nine people, including five Bangladeshis. The incident has raised concerns among tourists and their families in Bangladesh, while authorities in Kolkata have launched inspections of hotels in the area.

Local travel agents and hotel associations in Marquis Street, Sadar Street, Colin Street and the New Market area said many tourists were leaving Kolkata ahead of schedule. Some who had planned to visit the city have also postponed their trips.

The Times of India reported that several tourists staying at hotels around 15G Mirza Ghalib Street postponed their visits and boarded buses for the border on Thursday.

“We do not want to be caught in any raids by the administration in the area’s hotels. We can return when the situation normalises,” said Ismail Sarkar, a Dhaka resident.

Khurshid Alam, a Bangladeshi from Pabna, was staying in another hotel in the same building where Shikha Inn was located when the fire broke out.

“After seeing news of the fire and the deaths of five Bangladeshis, my wife and parents called me and asked me to return home immediately. I am here on business. I am trying to finish my work by Friday afternoon, but I will return soon,” he told the Times of India.

Khurshid later moved to another hotel on Marquis Street.

Meanwhile, a joint operation by the Kolkata municipality, fire department and police on Friday led to the closure of 11 hotels in the New Market area over various irregularities, Anandabazar reported.

The authorities put up closure notices and ordered the hotels to be completely vacated within 24 hours. Guests staying at some of the hotels were also evicted.

The closure list includes seven hotels at 23 Marquis Street and three at 25 Marquis Street. Officials alleged that almost none of the hotels inspected had complied with the rules and that several were operating without licences.

A receptionist at one of the hotels said the establishment had fire extinguishers but no fire alarm or other fire protection system. The hotel had a fire licence, but it had not been renewed after 2024, the receptionist said.

After the closure of the 11 hotels, authorities issued show-cause notices to 17 more hotels in the New Market area on Friday, giving them 24 hours to respond. Further closures may follow if their responses are deemed unsatisfactory.

The crackdown also affected newly arrived tourists. Fahim, a Bangladeshi visitor who reached Kolkata on Friday afternoon, found that the hotel he had booked had been closed.

“I just came from Bangladesh. I came to stay here, but they told me to leave. I had already booked. Let’s see where I can go now, what I can find. I came to Kolkata for a trip,” he said.

Kolkata police have formed a special investigation team to trace Bireshwar Mitra, owner of the building on Mirza Ghalib Street where the fire occurred. The Kolkata municipality has also formed a five-member committee to inspect fire-prevention systems at residential hotels across the city.�"bdnews24