Of the 22 migrant seekers who died on a boat after losing their way while traveling by sea from Libya to Greece, 12 were residents of Sunamganj district.
Sunamganj Additional Superintendent of Police Sujan Sarkar said they have confirmed the deaths of 12 people so far. Of them, six are from Derai Upazila, five from Jagannathpur Upazila and one from Dowarabazar Upazila.
Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ilyas Mia said the district administration will register a case against the smugglers responsible for the incident.
The bodies of the dead were thrown into the sea, while those who were rescued were kept in a camp in Greece.
Of the 22 dead, 12 are from Sunamganj and their identities have been confirmed.
On March 6, a young man from Habiganj crossed the Mediterranean Sea by boat and reached Greece. He has been kept in a camp there. Those rescued on March 27 have also been kept in the same camp by the country’s coast guard.
He spoke to Prothom Alo last night, Saturday. He said 22 migration seekers died mainly due to lack of food and safe drinking water. The boat drifted in the ocean for six days, causing severe shortages of food and potable water.
The young man told that yesterday he had talked to the injured people in the camp. The condition of two of them was critical and were admitted to the hospital, while the condition of the others is stable.
He said the boat lost its way and remained at sea for six days. During this period many people died due to lack of food and safe drinking water. Most of those who died were from Sunamganj. However, injured survivors could not confirm the exact number of deaths.
The bodies were kept on the boat for two days before being thrown into the sea. People are sent from Libya to Greece in small boats with limited food supplies.
After talking to police, family members, neighbors and local representatives, the identities of 12 dead persons have been confirmed so far.
They are: Mohammed Nuruzzaman Sardar Moyna (30), son of Abu Sardar of Tarapasha village, Kulanj union, Derai upazila; Sajidur Rahman (28), son of Abdul Ghani; Sahan Ehiya (25), son of Islam Uddin; and Mujibur Rehman (38), son of Abdul Malek of Rajnagar union of the same upazila; Taek Mia of Matiyapur village and Sohas of Basuri village under Karimpur union; Abu Faheem, son of Faiz Uddin of Kabirnagar village of Dowarabazar upazila; Sohanur Rehman of Chilaura village, Shayek Ahmed of Tiergaon village, Mohammad Naeem of Chilaura Kabirpur village, Aminur Rehman of Pailgaon village and Mohammad Ali of Ichgaon village of Jagannathpur upazila.
Shayek Ahmed’s father, Akhlus Miah, was seen mourning in the yard in Tiergaon village under Raniganj union of Jagannathpur upazila this afternoon. He lived in Kuwait for a long time.
Akhlas said, “There is no boy as handsome as my son in the area. Bring my son back. They starved my son to death. I want death penalty for smuggler Azizul.”
He further said that he paid 1.2 million taka in two installments to a smuggler named Azizul Islam of Ichgaon village to send his son to Greece. Azizul lives in Libya and is responsible for sending local youth from Libya to Greece.
Chilaura Haldipur Union Council President Shahidul Islam confirmed the death of two people from his area. Raniganj Union Parishad member Nurul Islam also confirmed the death of two people from his ward. Mizanur Rahman of Pailgaon village said that his brother has died. Jamal Uddin, convener of Dowarabazar Upazila Jubo Dal, confirmed the death of his nephew Abu Faheem.
Aor Mia, a former union council member from Tarapasha village in Dirai upazila, said over phone that four of the dead were his relatives.
Yesterday afternoon, Rohan Ahmed (25), son of Abdul Kahar of the same village, who was on the boat, informed about the incident over phone.
Rohan said that due to lack of food and water on the “game” (boat) many people fell ill and eventually died. Later their bodies were thrown into the sea.
Shahnoor Miya, the current union council member of the same village, told Prothom Alo that Rohan informed him over the phone about the death of four villagers. People are transported from Libya to Greece by sea on rubber boats, called “game” in the local language. They died on that boat.
Mohammad Zakaria, elder brother of the deceased Sahan Ehiya, said that each of them had made an agreement with smugglers to go to Greece for 1.2 million taka. He left the house last month. Half the money was paid after reaching Libya. There was no contact with him for several days.
Yesterday afternoon his cousin Rohan informed him about his death over phone.