23 bodies recovered in Libya
Family shocked at son's death during irregular migration without father's knowledge
As Sujon Farazi had not got any legal scope to go to Italy, he decided to travel without any valid documents to fulfill his dream.
Although other family members supported his decision, his father, Mirajul Islam, was not willing to take such a risk. This led to several altercations between the father and son.
Eventually, Sujon left for Libya without informing his father, with the help of a broker.
Recently, 23 bodies, including Sujon's, were recovered from the Mediterranean Sea after a boat capsized off the Libyan coast. His father, Mirajul Islam, confirmed his son's death to Prothom Alo on Tuesday morning. Their home is in the Purba Ghatmajhi area in Madaripur sadar upazila.
According to the Bangladesh embassy in Libya, a group of migrants had attempted to cross the Mediterranean Sea to go to Italy by boat. The boat, carrying 56 passengers, sank in the sea on 25 January. Between 28 and 31 January, 23 bodies were found washed ashore. While the identities of the bodies could not be immediately confirmed, the embassy, citing local sources, stated that most of them were believed to be Bangladeshi.
Sujon's family and locals said that he was lured by a broker in November of last year and left home with the intention of reaching Italy. First, he went from Dhaka to Dubai, then traveled to Libya. After arriving in Libya, he was held in a detention centre in Benghazi. On 24 January, Sujon and other migrants set out on an engine-run boat towards Italy, but the boat sank before reaching the destination.
Today, when visiting Sujon's home in Purba Ghatmajhi, a gathering was found, with everyone talking about Sujon. His father, Mirajul Islam, was sitting on a plastic chair in front of the house, crying and beating his chest. Sujon's aunts were also crying nearby, while neighbours tried to console them.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Mirajul Islam said, "For three months, we altercations about him going abroad. The family members told me Sujon was at his aunt's house, so I wasn't worried. But on 25 January, I found out that Sujon had gone to Libya with Tk 1.5 million from his aunt. That's when I got scared. He's my only son. If I had known, I would never have allowed him to go illegally. My dreams have been shattered with his death."
Sujon's mother passed away in 2003, and since then, his father had raised him alone. Sujon completed his higher secondary education at a local college and temporarily helped his father by driving an auto-rickshaw.
Sujon's aunt, Sheuli Begum, told Prothom Alo, "Even though his father didn't want him to go, Sujon begged his aunt to send him abroad. His aunt, feeling sorry for the orphaned boy, arranged the money to send him. Now, Sujon has died in this accident. We demand justice for the broker who sent him on such a dangerous journey."
The broker responsible for arranging Sujon's irregular migration has been identified as Monir Sheikh, the son of Haider Sheikh from Majumdarkandi in Rajair upazila, Madaripur. He had made a deal with Sujon to take him to Italy for Tk 1.5 million. When Prothom Alo tried to contact Monir Sheikh at his home, it was found locked. Attempts to reach him by phone went in vain.
Monir's neighbour, Tutul Mia, told Prothom Alo, "Monir has strong mafia connections. He has successfully sent many youths to Italy and has earned a lot of money through this. However, after his name came up in several recent incidents, he has gone into hiding. We also can't find him."
Bashkar Saha, additional police superintendent (Administration & Finance) of Madaripur, told Prothom Alo, "We have instructed the family members of those missing or deceased in Libya to file written complaints at the police station. Once they do so, we will take legal action. We have also identified several brokers involved and are continuing our efforts to apprehend them."