The lack of income created severe tension

Mohammad Suman Miah second son was not born when he migrated to Qatar 2016. He paid the recruitment cost of $7078 to get a so called “free visa”. To collect the money his family borrowed $4718 from relatives and the rest was a loan from a local NGO called BRAC.

Four years later he returned in a coffin without ever seeing our touching his youngest son.

His sudden death on April 29 2020 had a huge impact on the life of his now 8-year-old and 4-year-old children.

His family says that Suman was medically fit for a job in Qatar prior to his migration as he had to undergo a medical test. But calling home he said that the working conditions were not good.

Suman used to stay in a shared room in a labour camp. A total of eight workers would stay in his room.

“Since he arrived in Qatar, Suman had not been able to find a good job and he could not get any wage for 2 years and 6 months”, says Sumi Akter, 25, widow of late migrant Suman”

“The high cost of migration together with the lack of income created severe tension for him in Qatar”, she adds.

The family now lives in Daulat Kandi village under Raipura Upazila of Narsingdi district. Sumans father Shah Alam, 65, younger brother Sohel Miah 30 and the two minor sons says that they got the explanation he died from a heart attack.

At the end of the workday, he fell down outside the construction site where he worked. And was sent to a local hospital where doctor declared him dead.

“I could not believe it at first since he was in good health”, says the widow.

Sumi Akter is now worried about school fees and the future life of her children: “Daily life is hard.”

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