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Published : 16 Nov 2024, 04:08 AM
Ten young men from a single family in Sylhet Sadar Upazila had travelled to Saudi Arabia with money borrowed through loans and debts to give their families back home a better life.
However, they were detained by the Saudi police and sent to prison following their involvement in a protest march.
The families have been unable to communicate with the detainees, who have been in prison for the past eight months.
The situation has left the families in a state of deep distress, struggling financially and emotionally.
The ten detained men from the same household are Abdul Karim’s son Emdad Hossain Kamrul, 22, his nephew Abdur Shaheed, 28, Sabbir Ahmed, 23, Hanif Ali, 26, nephew Md Jahangir, 25, Mizan Ahmed, 28, Shahid Ahmed, 18, and Abdul Karim’s late brother Abdus Sattar’s three sons—Abdur Rahman, 30, Riyaz Ullah, 32, and Mohammad Ali, 18.
All of them were working as construction labourers.
Karim said, “I still owe Tk 100,000 in loan instalments to send my son abroad. I also have another debt of Tk 70,000. After he had gone, he sent some money back, but now all ten are imprisoned together in a single cell. They have been in jail for eight months. Please do something for our sons, we can’t live like this any longer.”
After he went, he sent some money back, but now all ten of them are imprisoned together in a single cell. They have been in jail for eight months. Please do something for our sons, we can’t live like this any longer.”
Jalalabad Union Parishad Chairman Md Manik Miah said the families have informed him that ten young men from the same house in Kaluruka village are in prison in Saudi Arabia.
He added that the families had taken out loans to send them abroad, and are now facing severe financial difficulties due to their prolonged detention.
Sylhet Sadar Upazila Executive Officer, or UNO, Khushoor Rubaiyath spoke with the families of the detained men on Friday noon.
Later that day, Rubaiyat told bdnews24.com, “We will provide all possible help to the families of the expatriates currently in jail.”
Sources have confirmed that at least 93 Bangladeshi nationals are currently detained in Saudi Arabia on similar charges.
Bangladesh embassy officials said they are working to secure the release of the detainees under Saudi Arabia’s general amnesty programme.
REASONS FOR PROTESTS, DETENTIONS
Relatives of the detained Bangladeshis said a dispute between expatriates from Brahmanbaria and Sylhet led to a protest march in Saudi’s Hara in April.
Under Saudi law, such protests are not permitted, and as a result, the Saudi police detained several people on the night of Apr 10. Since then, they have been in detention.
A youth from Sylhet Sadar Upazila, who was involved in the incident, said: “It all started when someone from Brahmanbaria had an issue with someone from Habiganj. This conflict grew, leading to the protest in Saudi. After a video of the protest was posted on TikTok, Saudi police began arresting people.”
He added, "At least 93 people have been detained in connection with this incident; 60 to 70 of them are from Sylhet. The rest are from Brahmanbaria and other districts. Most of those detained worked as construction labourers. Many of them had taken loans to travel to Saudi Arabia."
Appealing for the release of those in detention, the young man told bdnews24.com on Friday: "Please do something. If this continues, we do not know when they will be freed. The government should take swift action to arrange their release, or they will remain in detention for life. Please support the expatriates, save them."
Another Bangladeshi national in Saudi Arabia echoed similar sentiments, confirming that at least 93 people are currently in detention.
However, when speaking to bdnews24.com, they requested not to disclose their names for legal reasons.
MOTHER OF THREE DETAINED SONS APPEALS FOR THEIR RELEASE
Terabun Nessa, a mother from Islamganj Bazar in Kalaruka of Sylhet Sadar Upazila, is desperately seeking the release of her three sons who are currently held in a Saudi prison.
She has been visiting government offices, appealing for their release.
On Sept 17, Terabun submitted a written appeal to the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment and the director general of Consular and Welfare wing of the foreign ministry. A copy of the application was seen by bdnews24.com.
In her appeal, Terabun said: "I am a helpless mother, a widowed woman. I sold all my property and took loans to send my beloved three children to Saudi Arabia in search of work. On the night of 10th April, at 3am, Saudi police detained them from a three-storey building in Hara."
She continued, "There had been a protest march near Riyadh's Hara, and the video of the march was shared on TikTok by an expatriate. However, my sons are innocent. Their involvement in the protest has not been confirmed in the video. As a helpless mother, I humbly request a proper investigation and swift release of my sons."
Terabun, who is now unable to sleep or eat due to the stress of her sons' detention, shared her distress with bdnews24.com: I owe Tk 700,000 in loans, and my family is struggling to survive. Even after reaching out for help, we have not received any communication from the government. We do not know what will happen next."
"If they were in a local prison, I could have found out their condition and visited them. But we do not know anything about their situation in a foreign jail. Please do something for them. I am asking for the government's help to secure their release," she added.
Her applications were submitted to the relevant authorites by her brother, Fakhruddin, who said that Terabun's husband, Abdus Sattar, passed away three years ago.
Fakhruddin explained that her eldest son, Abdur Rahman, had initially gone to Saudi Arabia, followed by his brothers Riaz Ullah and Mohammad Ali.
The three sons worked as masons and lived together in the Riyadh’s Hara.
Terabun’s family had been entirely dependent on the income of her three sons after they went abroad for work.
Fakhruddin said that although one of her sons is still in Bangladesh, he is unable to earn much. As a result, the family is living in deep distress.
MOTHER BEGS FOR SON’S RELEASE FROM JAIL
Mohammad Naimul Islam, 22, the only son of Mohammad Jalal Uddin and Jorina Begum from Sylhet’s Companiganj Upazila, is currently imprisoned in Saudi Arabia.
Jorina said, “My son did nothing wrong. He went out on Eid day, and that is when the Saudi police detained him. They showed him photos of people involved in the protest, and when he told them he did not know any of them, and since then, my son has been kept in prison."
With tears in her eyes, the middle-aged woman continued: "There is no one left to support the family. He is my only son. I sent him to Saudi Arabia with borrowed money in January 2021. He was working there and sending money back home to support us. Now, we are living on loans. Please help him. I beg you, do something for him.”
Iqbal Hossain Ahad from Bahar village in Gowainghat Upazila shared a similar struggle. Two of his younger brothers have been in Saudi jail for over seven months, with no progress despite repeated attempts to get in touch.
He said, “I sent my younger brother Shahriar Hossain to Saudi Arabia in 2021, and he started earning there. In September 2023, I sent another brother, Kawser Hossain, with borrowed money. In April, both were detained by Saudi police at 3am. They have been in jail ever since.”
"Since they have been in jail for so long, we have had to borrow a lot of money. We are in a dire financial situation, struggling to support the family," he added.
Four more people from Bahar village are also in prison under similar circumstances. They are Ohin Chowdhury, Mahim Chowdhury, Aftab Ahmed, and Sayef Ahmed.
They were all detained from the same house.
Joygun Nessa, the mother of Shahriyar and Kauser, said: "Both my sons are in jail. I am heartbroken. I just want their release."
Mohammad Amin from Bishwanath in Sylhet added said his brother-in-law, Sattar Mia from Sadar Upazila, is also detained in Saudi Arabia.
“My sister’s children’s education is at risk because the only earning member of their family is in jail. We have heard that at least 93 Bangladeshis are currently in Saudi jails,” he added.
FAMILIES UNITE TO SEEK RELEASE OF DETAINED MIGRANTS
In early November, family members of detainees in Saudi Arabian prisons gathered for a meeting in Shiber Bazar in Sylhet.
Attendees included people from Sunamganj's Chhatak, Habiganj, and Sylhet. The discussion focused on what steps could be taken to secure the release of their loved ones.
Residents of Kalaruka village also held discussions regarding the issue. A meeting was scheduled for Friday but had to be postponed.
M Rahman Faruk, a resident of Kalaruka, said: "Apart from 10 members of one family from our village, several other expatriates from Sylhet are in Saudi prisons. We have advised the families to hold a larger press conference and engage with the authorities. We, as a community, are standing with them."
Attempts to contact officials from the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment for comment were unsuccessful.
Md Reza-E-Rabbi, counsellor (labour welfare) at the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh, told bdnews24.com: "The embassy has requested the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs to consider releasing them under a general pardon. If granted, they will be sent back to Bangladesh.”
“The matter is under consideration. The embassy is making every effort to secure their release and bring them back home,” he added.
