Family receive body of journalist killed in Bailey Road blaze as DNA tests end confusion

Police conducted DNA tests to clear confusion over the identity of her biological parents

The authorities have released the body of journalist Bristi Khatun alias Ovisruti Shastri, a victim of the fire in a restaurant building on Dhaka’s Bailey Road, to her family after DNA tests to confirm the identity of her biological parents.

Known as Ovisruti to her colleagues at The Report Live, she was among the 46 people who lost their lives in the fire in a restaurant building on Bailey Road in Dhaka on Feb 29 night.

Police detained her father Shabrul Alam Sabuj, a Muslim man, when he came to receive the body from the morgue the next day, showing an NID card of her daughter Bristi Khatun.

They released him after questioning, but did not transfer the body amid confusion over her religion as people close to her said she performed Hindu rituals at temples.

A friend claimed on Facebook that she believed she was born in a Hindu family in India but was adopted by Sabuj and his wife Beuty Begum.

Sabuj said the family had no idea about her change in religious rituals.

Utpal Saha, the president of Ramna Kali Temple, demanded that she be cremated as she worshiped Hindu gods.

But police decided to conduct tests to see if her DNA matched with Sabuj and Beuty to confirm the identity of her biological parents.

“The truth that I am her father has been established,” Shabrul said after receiving the body at Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s mortuary on Monday afternoon.

He said his daughter would be buried in their family graveyard at Bangram in Khoksa Upazila of Kushtia.

This is the 45th victim’s body transferred to the family. Police said the family of BRAC University student Nazmul Islam, son of businessman Nazrul Islam, did not receive the body until Monday afternoon.