'Your son is no more, recite Inna lillah'
Before boarding the plane to South Africa, Fahad was at the airport in Dhaka. He was always cheerful and wanted to go abroad. His two uncles were doing well with their business in South Africa and had improved their living conditions. Fahad also wanted to achieve something similar. To fulfill his son's wishes, his father, Nur Mohammad, spent Tk 900,000 to send Fahad to South Africa through an agent. But Fahad died shortly after reaching Africa.
On 30 January, Mohammad Fahad (18) started his journey from Dhaka to South Africa by plane. He was supposed to fly to Ethiopia and then catch another flight to South Africa via Zimbabwe, but that plan didn't work out.
The agents took him through the jungle from Ethiopia to Zimbabwe and then by road to South Africa, where he arrived on Sunday, 15 February.
On Sunday morning, Fahad's father, Nur Mohammad, 45, received the news that his son had reached South Africa. However, later that night, he got another call with the news of his son's death.
Speaking about Fahad, Nur Mohammad was overwhelmed with tears. He said, "I never showed him any lack. I always encouraged him to study. But he wanted to go to South Africa. I made arrangements for him, but now my Fahad is no more."
Nur Mohammad is a resident of Uttar Jowara village in the Jowara union of Chattogram's Chandnaish upazila. Fahad was the second of his two sons and one daughter.
Recently, he was a tenth-grade student at the local Kanchanabad Multipurpose High School. Although he was supposed to take the SSC exam this year, he was no longer interested in studying.
Nur Mohammad, who works at a private insurance company, mentioned that Fahad's two uncles had been residing in South Africa for some time, where they have businesses. His eldest uncle went there about 10 years ago, and the younger one went 8 months ago, both through similar channels.
In response to his son's persistent requests, Nur Mohammad borrowed Tk 900,000 from various people. He then used that money to send Fahad to South Africa through an agent.
Nur Mohammad said Fahad boarded a plane on 30 January from Dhaka for Africa. On the night of 15 February, he suddenly received a phone call. An unfamiliar person on the line said, "Your son Fahad is no more, recite Inna Lillahi, he has passed away."
The family believes that Fahad died due to the hardships of the long journey, starvation, illness, and lack of medical care. They had given Fahad 200 dollars and plenty of dry food in his bag, but everything was stolen from him in the jungle, causing him great distress.
Nur Mohammad stated that the agents initially promised to take Fahad by plane from Dhaka to Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, and then take him across the border to South Africa. However, in reality, this did not happen. Fahad was taken overland from Ethiopia through multiple countries to South Africa. As a result, he had to walk in the jungle for several days, and the journey lasted nearly two weeks.
Cheerful Fahad had hoped to establish himself quickly in life by going to South Africa, but that dream ultimately led him to his death.
On the morning of 15 February, Fahad's younger uncle, Mohammad Faisal, called Nur Mohammad from South Africa, informing him that Fahad had reached Musina, South Africa, and was resting in a room. This brought relief to them, but it was short-lived. The same night, they received the news of Fahad’s death by phone. Someone contacted Nur Mohammad using the address found on Fahad’s passport and documents.
Fahad’s father, Nur Mohammad, said he initially paid Tk 200000 to the agent. Later, he transferred Tk 700,000 through a bank account when the journey commenced. An additional payment of Tk 150,000 was supposed to be made after reaching South Africa. Upon hearing about Fahad’s death, the agents promised to return the money.
Devastated by grief, Nur Mohammad expressed his longing, "I just want to see my son one last time. How will I live without him? His vibrant life ended just before it truly began."