In a heart-wrenching incident, three youths from Madaripur lost their lives as the boat they were on capsized in Tunisian waters in the Mediterranean Sea during an attempt to undertake an illegal journey to Italy. The victims, identified as Md Samrat, Mamun Sheikh, and Sajal Bairagi, were part of a perilous journey that ended in tragedy.
The grief-stricken families revealed the heartbreaking details, with Md Samrat’s family sharing the ordeal of sending him abroad five months ago through a broker named Rashed Khan, seeking a better future. The alleged broker took Tk7 lakh from the family, and Samrat faced detention, torture, and deprivation upon reaching Libya, ultimately leading to his untimely demise.
Expressing their sorrow, Azgar, Samrat’s brother, called for justice, stating, “I invested so much money to send my brother abroad, and now he’s gone. We want justice for this loss.”
The situation takes a sinister turn as Madaripur brokers Rashed Khan and Tulu, accused of luring individuals with promises of reaching Italy, face multiple cases in Madaripur and Shariatpur. The modus operandi involved subjecting migrants to torture upon arrival, exploiting their dreams for a better life.
Further investigations revealed that Mamun Sheikh and Sajal Bairagi, hailing from Rajoir upazila in Madaripur, embarked on their journey to Europe on January 14, only to meet a tragic end in the Mediterranean. Family members shared information about a motorboat, carrying Mamun, Sajal, and others, departing from Libya and exploding off Tunisia, resulting in twelve deaths, including Mamun and Sajal. Local coast guards rescued several survivors.
The grieving families of Mamun Sheikh and Sajal Bairagi claimed that Mosharraf Kazi, an alleged member of a human trafficking gang, took Tk13 to Tk15 lakh from each of them, promising opportunities in Italy. The ill-fated motorboat, arranged by Mosharraf Kazi, faced disaster due to excess passengers during its journey to Italy.
The primary accused, broker Mosharraf Kazi, is reported to have resided in Libya for an extended period. It is alleged that his son Yuvraj played a role in recruiting youths from the village for the journey to Italy.
Authorities, including Rajoir police station Officer-in-Charge Md Asaduzzaman Howladar and Madaripur Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge AHM Salahuddin, have assured legal measures in response to the tragic incident. Increased public awareness is emphasized to prevent the recurrence of such exploitative practices, with the acknowledgment that initial arrests were made, but a compromise led to the release of the accused.
