Rickshaw puller returns missing iPhone to US citizen

A rickshaw puller has found a missing iPhone and returned it to its owner, who is a Bangladeshi-born US citizen.

Rickshaw puller Aminul Islam pulls rickshaw in the capital's Gulshan area. On 5 August, he found the cell phone (iPhone 13 pro max) which was shut. He returned it to its owner through police on 9 August.

Aminul told Prothom Alo on Monday afternoon that he has been pulling rickshaws in the Gulshan area for eight years. He noticed a mobile phone left on his rickshaw after dropping off a passenger at Gulshan-2 area on 5 August. The phone was switched off as it ran out of charges – that barred Aminul to trace the phone’s owner.

He said he went to a shop at Uttar Badda in Dhaka to purchase a charger to switch on the phone. But he had to return empty-handed as the charger was expensive.

At a stage, Aminul inserted the phone’s SIM card to his phone and received a call from a woman, Sima Ahammed – who claimed its ownership. He asked the woman to take the phone back. Later, the phone – containing vital information for building a robot project - was handed over to the owner through police.

Sima told Prothom Alo that it was her son’s phone, Sammy Ahammed – who lives in the United States. They visit Bangladesh at times. She, accompanied by her son went out on that day (5 August) and lost the phone on the way.

As the phone lacked charge, they were not able to find it. They lodged a general diary at the police station. They found their SIM card opened and made a call. They informed the matter to the police, she added.

Later, Aminul handed over the phone to the police. They are very glad to have the missing phone, she added.

Gulshan police station assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Abdul Kadir told Prothom Alo that Aminul returned the phone with honesty.

Aminul lives in Badda with his wife, Jasmin, who works in a garment factory. The couple has two children who stay with their grandmother back home.

He said he could not continue his study after class eight as he was born in a poor family. However, he wants to educate two of his children. As the living expenditure is very high in Dhaka, he has to leave his children back in the village.

He said he is poor but he has no greed. He wants to survive with honesty.