DHAKA: Some ethnic youths of Bangladesh also undertook the dangerous trek in sea to go to Malaysia from the end of 2013 to May, 2014 for realizing their dream to get better life.
However, many of them, after rescue operations, were landed in Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia or Indonesia.
At present, two youths of Tripura ethnic community -- Badal Moni Tripura, 22 and Abraham Tripura, 18 -- are staying at Langsa camp in Aceh of Indonesia. Both are hailed from Gatirampara village under Lama upazila of Bandarban district.
They told banglanews over mobile phone that they have been living in very a good condition at Langsa camp since May 10 of this year. People of Langsa received them cordially but now they are eager to return to Bangladesh.
Badal Moni informed banglanews that he used to work as a day laborer and worked at a garments factory in Chittagong. He has a family of five brothers and two sisters. He also has a daughter. He left for Malaysia to make them happier.
Abraham is a nephew of Badal. He told banglanews that they both were provoked by one, Abu, an agent of human traffickers of Ramu. But, after reaching to the sea shore they understood that they were sold out. “We were forced to board on the boat”.
He further said, ‘We were in the sea for three months. In the boat, men started killing each other over a scrap of food. Many committed suicide by jumping into the sea when starvation became acute.
Badal younger brother Chandramoni Tripura told banglanews on Monday (November 9) that Badal and Abraham left the house in mid-January. The whole family is now crying for them.
Badal said that none on behalf of (Bangladesh) government ever visited their houses for searching them. “However, I gave my details to the (Indonesia) government and non-government agencies several times at Langsa camp”.
Another Bangladeshi, Shafiullah, who is now living at Langsa camp, informed banglanews that three youths of Chakma ethnic community were also staying at Langsa camp but they already have returned to their home in Telpola village of Ukhia.
There is no accurate statistics about how many ethnic community members trafficked and are missing in the Andaman Sea and in the forests of southeast Asia.
However, the number of families that lodged claims seeking help finding the missing persons is not a small figure.
Mongkhain Chakma, hailed from Amtoli village under Teknaf upazila, could not save his two elder brothers and his uncle after even paying ransom.
Mongkhain’s maternal uncle Tui Mong Sing Chakma, two elder brothers Ajoy Chakma, 29 and Mongthain Chakma, 24, started their journey for Malaysia on October 15 of 2014.
In December, one Din Mohammad phoned Mongkhain that his relatives are in Thailand and demanded Tk 350,000 as ransom for their release.
Despite his poverty, Mongkhain took much trouble to arrange the amount of money to save his brothers and uncle and sent it to the traffickers.
But all his hopes were dashed down to the ground when he gradually came to know that all of his three relatives died one after another due to tortures and starvations.
Mongkhain, though paid the ransom after much trouble, did not get back his kith and kin.
Besides, the death of another ethnic youth Uthenga Tanchangya was confirmed by his family in Hoyaikkong of Teknaf in May this year. The deceased was a day laborer.
Lilianne Fan, international director of Yayasan Geutanyoe, an ngo working with the trafficked Rohyngas and Bangladeshis at the temporary Aceh camp told banglanews that there are still two youths of Tripura community of Bangladesh at Aceh camp.
She further said that the stranded Bangladeshis in Aceh are eagerly waiting to meet their families.
Human Rights activist and acting executive director of ‘Ain O Salish Kendra’ (ASK) Nur Khan Liton said that these people do not know their ultimate fate.
He also demanded the government to take initiatives for immediate return of the indigenous people, who are now stranded in foreign countries and passing a subhuman life.
BDST: 1532 HRS, NOV 10, 2015
Shahjahan/SR/RR/SMS
