Shakib returned home after 8 months of torture in Nepal for talking about Australia

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Van driver Alamgir Hossain (44) handed over Tk 15 lakh to the broker to send his son Sakib Hossain to Australia. But instead of Australia, he was taken to Nepal and kept imprisoned. After that, Algmir could not find his son. After about eight months, Shakib Hossain returned home and told the story of a terrible life in captivity. He said that he was locked in a room in Nepal and was beaten daily, threatened with a knife, and even beaten in the stomach.

Shakib’s (21) home is in Kismat Mahmudpur village of Jessore’s Bagharpara upazila. He was taken to Kathmandu, Nepal on September 14 last year. After some time, the family could not find him. Last Saturday night he returned home through India illegally.

On April 16, Prothom Alo online edition of Shakib’s disappearance in Nepal published a news headlined ‘Nepal, parents are not looking for the young man to take him to Australia’.

Earlier, Alamgir Hossain filed a case in Jessore Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Prevention and Suppression Tribunal-1 on February 16 to get his son back. On the orders of the court, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Bagharpara police station registered the case as a statement. Tariqul Islam (45) and Nazmul Hossain (35), sons of Mokles Molya of Kismat Mahmudpur village of the upazila, have been made accused in the case.

Regarding the progress of the case, Bagharpara Police Station Deputy Inspector (SI) Govind Kumar Mandal said, “Sakib Hossain has returned to the country.” The accused in the case are absconding and cannot be traced. Efforts are underway to arrest the accused.

Last Sunday (May 3) at noon, I sat in the courtyard of Kismat Mahmudpur village and talked with Sakib Hossain. At that time he seemed very tired. He kept wiping his eyes while talking.

Shakib Hossain said, there were five of them at the airport in Dhaka. One of them is a broker. The passport was with the broker’s man. He knew he was going to Australia. After the plane landed, he was found at the Kathmandu airport in Nepal. He was surprised. After getting his passport back and coming out of the airport after completing the immigration process, the broker took his passport and eighty thousand rupees worth of dollars with him. Leaving the three outside the airport, Dalal’s men took him to some empty space. Flight to Australia after two days. Dalal’s men left as two Bengalis came and took him away. After standing for about two and a half hours, two men came and took him to the North Bengal Hotel. They took his mobile phone before going to the hotel.

Shakib said, there are three beds in one room of the hotel. Three people lived in that room. They wouldn’t let him go out. When the broker’s people went out, they kept him inside and locked him from outside.

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Mentioning that he was beaten up every day for money, Shakib Hossain said that if he called to talk from home, they would answer the phone. What they used to say, had to be said at home. They used to sit with a knife next to them while talking. They were threatened with knives if they did not speak. They demanded another one and a half lakh rupees. Even after taking that money, they used to beat him.

After staying there for four months, two new men came and took him in a taxi to an empty house in a secluded place, said Shakib Hossain. Then he was allowed to stay in the basement room of the house. There is little room for light and air to enter the room. After three days of being taken there, he was allowed to eat rice. He was beaten daily in that room. They were beaten even if they wanted to eat rice. They used to sit with knives. One day they stabbed him in the stomach while beating him. He was seriously injured. However, they did not beat for the last 15 days.

Describing his return home, Shakib said that they both took him out last Thursday night. He first came to Siliguri in India by bus. Changed the bus there and came to Jalpaiguri the next day at noon. From there they were taken to a place by auto. Two men left him there at night. A new one came and left him on foot in an empty field. Then a new man came and took him across a nearly dry river. He left by late Friday night, crossing the culvert under the stars and entering Bangladesh through the Nilphamari border. From there he returned home by train on Saturday night.

Shakib Hossain said, ‘The body is very weak. Weight has dropped a lot. I don’t like anything.

Shakib’s mother Sonali Begum (38) is happy to have her son back. He said, ‘We have become completely independent. Glad to have my son back. But I am in great trouble with the pain of debt.

Alamgir Hossain said that while sending his son abroad, he sold all his assets and became destitute due to debt. He said, “I had 22 centuries of land. Among them are the 14th century Vitabari and the 8th century litchu garden. There was an engine driven van. I have sold all the land except the head land. I also sold the van, the only source of income. I have taken a loan of 12.5 lakh taka from five NGOs and associations. I have given all the money to the broker to send my son abroad to bring a little wealth to the family.  

Algmir Hossain said that there is no way of income now, “I feel good to have the boy back.” But the creditors are coming to the house every day for money. What to eat and how to pay, I do not understand anything.