Voyage to Europe through Libya, family stories
In 2022, more than 15,000 Bangladeshi migrants arrived in Italy, twice as many as the year before, many travelling via Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt. Many of the bereaved families who lost loved ones on the dangerous trek paid huge amounts for the journey.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) – More than 15,000 migrants arrived in Italy from Bangladesh via Libya in 2022, twice as many as in 2021 (7,838), just over 14 per cent of all arrivals, joining the third-largest immigrant community in the country.
Among Bangladeshi migrants, travelling from home to Libya via a third country is now a well-established practice. Many make the journey to seek a better future, but the crossing often turns into a nightmare.
In the first three months of 2023, more than 20,000 migrants reached Italian shores with almost 500 losing their life or going missing, many from Bangladesh.
In one of the latest tragedies at sea, out of a boatload of 47, 17 people were rescued and brought to Pozzallo, a town on the coast of southern Sicily; the other 30 are missing, with at least 12 from Faridpur, a city in Dhaka Division.
“For a better life, I sent my son to Italy. But all the dreams have been ruined. I want my son back,” said Torap Molla, 30, speaking to AsiaNews. His son, Shafiqual Islam Russell, is missing. To get him to Italy, he paid 800,000 taka (US$ 7,500) to a trafficker called Murad Faki.
Shafiqual left Bangladesh at the start of the year, arriving in Libya on 12 January via Dubai. After staying in the North African country for two months, he climbed on the boat that was supposed to take him to Italy, which sank on 12 March.
"Murad Faki told us that many people had gone to Italy thanks to him, and we trusted him. By trusting him we lost my son," the father added.
Mahfuz Molla, 22, was another of the 12 Bangladeshis lost at sea in the Mediterranean, the son of a farmer. In his case, the family spent 750,000 taka (US$ 7,000) for the trip.
“I sent my brother abroad to turn the wheel of fortune. But I never dreamt that the wheel would turn like this,” said his younger brother Tanveer. “We borrowed money from various organisations. We hoped to see some prosperity after living in a world of privation, but all our dreams drowned at sea."
Although the Eastern Mediterranean route continues to be the deadliest in the world, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Italy has become a favourite destination for migrants from Bangladesh thanks to the possibility of regular transit to Libya.
The latest IOM data indicate that 21,653 Bangladeshis lived in Libya in 2022, mostly (74 per cent) in the west of the country, after arriving through regular channels from Turkey (36 per cent), the United Arab Emirates (38 per cent), and Egypt (13 per cent). About 93 per cent said they arrived by plane.
"In 2000, when I was only 20 years old, I went to Libya through a broker. I started working in a Korean company for a few years there,” said Haroon Ur Rashid, a Bangladeshi who left Bangladesh over 20 years ago and was back on a holiday.
“The salary was low,” he explained. “The money I borrowed when I came to Libya became difficult to repay”, so “in 2007, I thought of going to Italy.”
At that point Haroon contacted a broker, who promised to take him to Europe by sea at the price of 200,000 taka (US$ 1,825). A group of about fifty people was put together, and some migrants were trained by the smugglers to use a compass to find their way at sea to Sicily.
“The journey to Italy started from the Libyan coast at Zouara and Tajura. After the start of the journey, only the trainees are put in charge of the boat. Brokers don't stay; they leave the boat, and take no responsibility.”
For Haroon, “Even after a few days of training, it becomes difficult to accurately determine direction at sea.”
If they reach Italy, migrants ask for “political asylum. Italian police and various human rights organisations allow people rescued from the sea to seek political asylum. If it is approved, the immigrants start living in Italy. If no approval is obtained, the police give the person six days to leave Italy and go to their home country.”
A Bangladeshi government official who asked that his name not be used, told AsiaNews that that about 150,000 Bangladeshi migrants live in Italy, employed in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, shipbuilding and street trading.
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11/08/2017 20:05
