Bangladeshis make fortune with hard work, not only marrying Malay girls

Many Bangladeshis made their fortunes in Malaysia with hard work and sincerity, although some think that getting marred to Malay women helped their luck rolling.

bdnews24.com
Published : 31 March 2005, 12:00 PM
Updated : 31 March 2005, 12:00 PM
Dhaka, April 1 (BDNEWS) – Many Bangladeshis made their fortunes in Malaysia with hard work and sincerity, although some think that getting marred to Malay women helped their luck rolling.
"Many Bangladeshis flew to Malaysia in search of their fortunes and tried to build their careers in service sectors like restaurant or salesmanship. Many built relationships with Malaysian woman and married them, which is quite natural," said Sheikh Mohammad Nipu, a Bangladeshi businessman living in Kuala Lumpur and running different businesses, including a general store.
Nipu told BDNEWS about Mohammad Noor Alam Bin Noor Islam, a Bangladeshi fortune hunter who flew to Malaysia in 1978 and got married to a Malay woman named Rozina Akhter Binti Abdullah. Alam also became a citizen there.
"I am now running contract business here apart from running hotel, CD store, export, import and other small businesses though my beginning was not that smooth," said Alam, who hails from Baraipur of Feni district and now is living at Kajang area, 13 kilometres away from Kuala Lumpur city.
His parents are now living at Mijimiji area in Dhaka's outskirt while Alam has a happy family in Malaysia with four children—Ayesha, Sheema, Sheida and a son, Jamil.
Alam said he is now well-off and happy to have a Malay wife, who brought good fortune for him.
But his wife thinks in a different way. "He is the architect of his own fortune. I have just helped him. He is really very hard working for which he succeeded," said Rozina who also considers her husband as a passionate lover.
"Though I have married to a Malay lady, I will arrange the wedding of my children to Bangladeshis," said Alam in reply to a question. He said despite he became Malaysian now with getting citizenship, he prefers Bangladeshis as good bride and groom.
Though the children feel comfortable with Malaysian language, Sheema, the third child of Alam and Rozina, can also sing Bangla songs while the youngest one Sheida wants to visit Bangladesh, and see the beauty as she never saw.
Like Alam, another fortune hunter 38-year old Mohammad Alam Manju went to Malaysia in 1990 illegally and today made a huge restaurant, grocery shops and fish supply business at Batu 14 area, engaging many Malaysian in his business as employees.
He got married to 35-year old Zamna Binti Hamid to see his fortune rolling and found it positive. Zamna was the daughter of a shop owner where Manju used to frequent everyday for shopping when he was a labour.
"What I made here, all are licensed after my wife's name," said Manju.
His wife Zamna said the wedding helped Manju, but it was all his will and hard work that made them happy couple today.
In 1996, the Malaysia government announced that Malaysian women properly married to foreigner may apply to have their husbands granted permanent residency in Malaysia.
But at present, the Malaysian government imposed a restriction and made it mandatory that the labourers who will come to Malaysia must not marry any Malaysian citizen.
BDNEWS/1410 hrs