The bodies of six of the seven Bangladeshi nationals killed in a hotel fire in Kolkata on August 19 were repatriated to Bangladesh today, the foreign ministry said.

The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata facilitated the repatriation after completing necessary formalities in close coordination with local authorities and the victims’ families, according to a foreign ministry press release.

The body of S M Alimuzzaman of Satkhira was brought home through the Ghojadanga-Bhomra border this morning and handed over to his family.

The bodies of Debashish Dutta of Kushtia and three members of his family — Afsana Sharmin, Sharnashish Dutta and Md Akram Ali — were repatriated through the Petrapole-Benapole border this afternoon.

The body of Babu Ahmed of Aminbazar, Dhaka, was also brought back through the same border crossing.

The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission extended necessary assistance to the families throughout the process, including preservation and transportation of the bodies and completion of formalities for their repatriation.

The body of the seventh Bangladeshi victim, Repati Sarkar of Satkhira, was cremated in Kolkata last night in accordance with the wishes of the family.

The Deputy High Commission also provided financial and other necessary assistance for the cremation.

Since the August 19 tragedy, the Bangladesh mission in Kolkata has maintained close coordination with local authorities and the victims' families to facilitate the necessary procedures and repatriation arrangements.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed profound grief over the deaths and conveyed its deepest condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families.