Expat dies hours after telling son, ‘I got my work permit’

At around 8:00 pm Bangladesh time on Monday, Noor Mohammad called his son, Siam. During the conversation, he shared that he had finally received a work permit valid for the next one and a half years. Without the permit, he would have had to return home from South Africa.

Little did Siam know that it would be the last conversation he would ever have with his father.

A few hours later, early Tuesday morning, another phone call came. The family was informed that Noor Mohammad had died in a fire at a supermarket in Queenstown, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.

The fire claimed the lives of six Bangladeshi nationals, including Noor Mohammad. Five of the victims were from Narayanganj. They were Md. Fahim (29) and Md. Apon (23) of Koker Char area in Alirtek union; Nur Mohammad (55) of Alirtek area; Md. Faisal (26) of Toilkhira Char in Baktabali union and Md. Shahin (30) of Kanainagar area. The other victim was Md. Rajik (55) from Kalindipara area of Mirkadim municipality in Munshiganj.

As the news spread, Koker Char, Toilkhira Char and Kanainagar villages were left in mourning as families and neighbours waited for the bodies of their loved ones to be brought home.

Noor Mohammad had been in South Africa for about eight years. He worked in Singapore for 10 years before that.

He is survived by his wife Kamrun Nahar, two daughters Sayma and Sadia and his only son Siam. Both daughters are married. His son Siam is appearing for the HSC examinations from Narayanganj College this year.

Siam broke down in tears, recalling the final phone conversation with his father.

"My father asked about everyone. He spoke about the situation in Africa and said he had received a work permit for another one and a half years. Without it, he would have had to return home. Who knew those would be his last words!" said Siam.

At one point, amidst his tears, Siam lamented, “My father spent almost his entire life abroad, working hard for us. Now there is no one left for me to call ‘father’. Our family depended on his income. Now it feels like the responsibility of supporting the family has fallen on us.”

Md Apon had moved to South Africa four years ago in search of a better livelihood to help his family overcome financial hardship. He was the second of three siblings.

His father, Ali Mia, runs a small tea stall. The eldest son had previously worked in Saudi Arabia but has since returned home.

Family members said the household depended on the money Apon sent from abroad. The two brothers had started building a one-storey house. Although the roof casting was completed, the construction work remained unfinished. Now, the family is uncertain about how they will make ends meet.

“I never imagined he would leave us at such a young age,” Ali Mia said before breaking down in tears.

Apon’s maternal uncle, Russell, said the family has debts and relied on Apon’s remittances. “They are now facing a major crisis,” he said.

Fahim from the same village had been living in South Africa for nearly 11 years. His family had hoped he would eventually return home and take greater responsibility for the household. Instead, their long wait ended with the news of his death.

“The entire family has been shattered by the news. It will be very difficult to overcome this grief,” Fahim’s brother-in-law Md Sajib told Prothom Alo.

On Tuesday afternoon, Narayanganj Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) SM Foyez Uddin Ahmed visited the families of the five victims to offer condolences.

He told Prothom Alo that the authorities are coordinating with the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment to ensure the bodies are brought back to Bangladesh as soon as possible and that the victims’ families receive the necessary assistance and compensation.

The owner of the supermarket destroyed in the fire is Roshan Ali, a union parishad member from Ward No. 4 of Alirtek union in Narayanganj Sadar upazila.

He told Prothom Alo that the specific cause of the fire is not yet known. It could have been an electrical fault or some other reason. The matter is being investigated. He assured that he would stand by the families of the deceased.