Dozens of Bangladeshis met with tragic end on way to Europe

Dozens of Bangladeshi fortune-seekers have died in their desperate bid to reach their dream land of Europe.

These Bangladeshis, reports British newspaper The Guardian, are among more than 34,300 people who were killed since 1993 as they tried find a better living.

Most of them drowned while either crossing into the European territory or seeking refuge to the European nations in the past 25 years.

“Some would say there are fewer deaths in Europe, and the EU’s policy is working,” Ann Singleton, an academic specialising in migration data at the University of Bristol, was quoted to have said. “But there’s so much that’s unknown. Deaths are less likely to be reported if they occur in remote areas of Africa, and the number of people are dying inland, or in Libyan detention camps, isn’t recorded."

He explained that though the Mediterranean looks to be the most dangerous area of the world for migrant journeys, "we simply don’t know what’s happening elsewhere.”

The Guardian published the list of ill-fated people on 20 June quoting a Dutch NGO, United for Intercultural Action (UNITED) that prepared the list as per the verified reports, from media houses, NGOs and other organisations of 5 May 2018.

Though there is no government record of the deaths, the United for Intercultural Action (UNITED) said, as many as 34,361 migrants and refugees died during the two and half decades.

Of them, according to The Guardian report, over 27,000 died of drowning.

As per the list of Dutch NGO, nearly 400 migrants committed suicide while 600 were victims of violence. Also, 22 were beaten, 25 stabbed, and 121 were shot to death.

One of the many victims was Manuel Bravo, who hanged himself in Yarl’s Wood detention centre, Bedfordshire, in 2005, the day before he and his son were due to be deported to Angola. He knew immigration officers could not deport his 13-year-old son, Antonio, without a parent, wrote The Guardian.

“I kill myself because I don’t have a life to live any more. I want my son Antonio to stay in the UK to continue his studies,” read a note found in Bravo’s room after he died on his 35th birthday.

The Dutch NGO recorded 35 incidents where dozens of Bangladeshi migrants and refugees were killed in their journey to the Europe.

Several Bangladeshis allegedly committed suicide after they failed to have refuge while some of them were shot dead by border security forces, the UNITED list added.

The list includes latest death of a Bangladeshi, Tarek Chowdhury, 64, who died in a hospital on 2 December 2016 after an assault in Colnbrook migrant removal centre in Britain.

The list also show one Rubel Ahmed, 26, allegedly committed suicide in a cell at Morton Hall detention centre of Britain in September 2014.

On 12 January 2012, four Bangladeshis reportedly went missing after 2 plastic boats capsized while trying to cross the Evros river from Turkey to Greece.

On 12 May 2011, a certain Alim Abdul Manan, 21, died after being stabbed by 2 men on motorbikes in Athens of Greece.

Another Bangladeshi national Noorjahan Begum, 35, died after falling from balcony of her home while fleeing immigration officers of Britain there on 15 March 1996.

The list includes Hussein Zahidul, 24, who was found dead in a ditch near the immigration bureau in Votanikos, Britain on 3 January 2009, a certain Hamidur Rahman, 31, who allegedly committed on 4 May 2008, one Baitul Atique allegedly took his by self on 2 March 2007 after being forced to return to Bangladesh with his wife, one Mohammed Hanif, 27, committed suicide at asylum centre in Hechtel-Eksel of Belgium on 8 December 2005, another man, aged around 25, in July 2004 after failed to attain asylum, Muhamed Sarad, 60, died on 22 September 2002 while crossing Iranian-Turkish border, also Sillih Peder, 23, and Cahir, 28, were shot dead by security forces while trying to enter Turkey on 19 June 2002, three Bangladeshis suffocated in a truck on in April 2002, a certain Hossein, 30, died on 12 January 2000 in Stockholm, another man was killed in a road accident near Czech-German border on 8 April 1998, a minor died on  4 September 1996, a boy, aged around 16, was killed on 25 October 1995.