Italy-bound migrants' death: Shock grips 3 Madaripur families
While going to Italy illegally, three young aspirant migrants of Madaripur have died in a boat capsize in the Mediterranean sea, victims' family members have confirmed this to Prothom Alo.
Several more people have also gone missing in the incident.
The boat capsize took place in the Tunisia maritime boundary of the Mediterranean on Thursday. Six nationals of different countries have also died. 52 people have been rescued while several others remain missing.
Three Bangladeshi nationals are: Md Shamrat Bapary, 23, son of Ali Akbar of Madaripur Sadar upazila, Mamun Sheikh, 22, son of Yusuf Ali Sheikh of Rajoir upazila and Sazal Boiragi, 24, of same upazila.
According to relatives, locals and international media, a number of youths including Mamun Sheikh and Sazal Boiragi left home on 14 January for a better life.
Relatives of the victims said Mosharrof Kazi, who is a resident of Sundori area of Raghdi union in Muksudpur of Gopalganj, is the chief of a middlemen gang. His accomplices are Juboraj Kazi from the same area and Rasel Khan, a resident of Madaripur sadar upazila. This gang allured youth promising to send them to Italy and collected Tk 10,000,00 to 12,00,000.
Samrat Bepary left home eight months ago with the help of a middleman, but he could not enter Italy. Later, they were taken to Bengazi of Libya.
70 aspirant migrants including Bangladeshis set out for Italy in an engine-run boat crossing the Mediterranean. When the boat reached the Tunisian territory, it sank off the coast of Tunisia.
Receiving the news, Tunisia coast guard rescued 52 people by conducting a rescue operation and recovered nine dead bodies.
Parents of three migrants from Madaripur received news on Friday that their children are no more alive. Shock grips the victims' families.
Relatives of the victims said Mosharrof Kazi, who is a resident of Sundori area of Raghdi union in Muksudpur of Gopalganj, is the chief of a middlemen gang. His accomplices are Juboraj Kazi from the same area and Rasel Khan, a resident of Madaripur sadar upazila. This gang allured youth promising to send them to Italy and collected Tk 10,000,00 to 12,00,000.
Sazal Boiragir's father Shunil Boiragi said, "I talked to my son. My son said they would set out for Italy from Libya. There will be no trouble. All of a sudden, I came to know my son is no more. I don't need my son to go to Italy. Return my son."
Samrat's elder brother Azgor Bepari said, "The middleman phoned us and said my brother has died. He said he would bring my brother back home. They would compensate. We cannot accept that our brother is no more. We tried hard to send my brother to Italy. Everything is lost."
When an attempt was made to contact the head of the middlemen Mosharraf Kazi, his mobile phone was found switched off. Even he couldn't be contacted by sending text messages.
Madaripur police super Alaul Hasan, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, "We have heard three youth have died in boat capsize in the Mediterranean sea. However, the victims' families have not made any allegation till now in this regard. We are conducting operation to take action against the middlemen.."