Wahab Goes Home
In the end, the pressure of going home proved too much for Abdul Wahab. 26 days after touching down in Dhaka, he died. His wife says he had heart problems. Wahab had been stressed out and depressed. Unable to deal with the loansharks who hounded him constantly. He withdrew into himself. Lost weight. And it seems, eventually, lost hope. His story sounds...
Collateral Damage
Dear Employer, We want to introduce you to Taspiya. You’ve probably never even heard of her, but you know her father well. His name is Mohamed Ismail, and nearly two years ago, he came to Singapore to work for you. We’re sure you know that Ismail paid a lot of money in order to secure...
The Short, Hopeful Life Of Odud Sayed Ahammed
Odud Sayed Ahammed was a hopeful man. So hopeful, he gave his one piece of land to his neighbour, so the neighbour could go find him a job in Singapore. A year passed, and there was no job. The neighbour said, “It’s getting more expensive to secure work in Singapore. Give me another 100,000 takas,...
Ismail Goes Home
It is dark when we finally arrive in Chittagong. Mohamed Ismail looks tired. It’s been a long journey home. He’s been away for 18 months. Ismail’s family lives high above the city, on a hill, near a swanky country club. They are not rich – far from it – but neither are they slum dwellers....
