Mother reunites with family after 13 years in Saudi Arabia
Maleka Khatun, a Bangladeshi woman from Nazirpur village in Kushtia's Daulatpur Upazila, finally reunited with her children today (25 January) at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after being stranded in Saudi Arabia for 13 years.
The emotional reunion was made possible through the efforts of the BRAC Migration Welfare Centre.
Maleka left Bangladesh in 2006 to work as a domestic helper in Jeddah, hoping to secure a better future for her children.
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However, she was subjected to gruelling work conditions and received much lower wages than promised.
Despite these hardships, she continued working to support her family.
After a brief visit home, her employer confiscated her passport and documents, preventing her return to Bangladesh.
Over the years, her children, Sonia and Swapan, made several attempts to bring her back but were unsuccessful.
In a last-ditch effort, they contacted BRAC Migration Welfare Centre after being referred by journalist Saiful Rajib.
"When we heard Maleka Khatun's story, we knew we had to act quickly," said Shariful Hasan, associate director of BRAC's Migration and Youth Platform.
The organisation worked with the Bangladesh Embassy, Saudi immigration authorities, and other stakeholders to navigate legal and logistical challenges.
After weeks of effort, Maleka finally arrived at Dhaka airport, where she was met by her tearful children.
"We had lost hope. But today, we are together again, thanks to BRAC and Saiful Bhai," she said.
The reunion is part of BRAC Migration Welfare Centre's broader mission to assist Bangladeshi expatriates in distress. Over the past eight years, the center has helped more than 35,000 returnees. In 2024 alone, it rescued 40 individuals from various countries.
Al-Amin Noyon, manager of the centre and a recipient of the 2024 TIP Hero Award, emphasised the importance of their work.
"Our mission is to bring stranded Bangladeshis home and reunite them with their families," he said.
"Anyone in distress can reach out to us, and we will do our best to help," he added.
