Bangladeshi man returns home after 25 years as victim of human trafficking
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A Bangladeshi man has returned home to Cox’s Bazar after 25 years of disappearance, following a harrowing journey that saw him trafficked across multiple borders and suffer life-altering injuries. Mohammad Farid, 35, arrived in Bangladesh last Thursday after being deported by Turkish authorities, ending a quarter-century-long separation from his family who had long presumed him dead.
Farid was only 10 years old when he crossed into India and subsequently Pakistan with his father, Ayub Ali, in search of employment. During his time in Pakistan, Farid was involved in a train accident that resulted in the amputation of both his legs. Shortly thereafter, he was abducted by a human trafficking syndicate that promised him better prospects and employment in Europe. He was eventually moved to Turkey, where he survived as an irregular migrant by selling water on the coastline.
The ordeal concluded when Turkish law enforcement detained Farid and processed him for repatriation. He arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on August 18. Due to his extended time abroad and the trauma of his experiences, Farid struggled to communicate his identity, recalling only his name, his parents’ names, and his hometown of Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar.
Aviation security officials at the airport transferred him to the welfare desk operated by BRAC, a non-governmental development organization. Within 12 hours, BRAC migration workers, aided by local representatives and media reports, located his family in the Nasir Para area of Morichya Palong, Ukhiya. The family confirmed his identity through the distinctive physical feature of a sixth finger on one of his hands. A video call facilitated between Farid and his younger brother, Syed Alam, confirmed the reunion.
Syed Alam, who serves as a local imam, expressed profound relief, stating that the family had long abandoned hope of seeing Farid again. Farid has since been reunited with his elderly mother, Nurjahan Begum, in Cox’s Bazar.
Shariful Islam Hasan, Associate Director of BRAC’s Migration and Youth Platform, noted that this case is part of a broader effort that has seen the organization reunite 164 lost migrants with their families over the past eight years. He emphasized that the organization intends to provide long-term support to assist in Farid’s rehabilitation.
Government officials, including A.T.M. Mahabul Karim, Project Director for the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board, have pledged to provide necessary assistance to Farid. Meanwhile, officials from the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment reiterated their commitment to supporting migrants who face crises abroad. Farid’s father, Ayub Ali, remains in Pakistan, according to family members.
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