Pirganj's Monirul returns from Malaysia in a coffin, family still does not know how he died

To end the family's hardship, his parents sent their only son, Monirul Islam, abroad. The four-member family was somehow getting by on the small amount of money he sent from Malaysia. Their hope was that his earnings would grow, that he would send more money home, and that the family would find comfort. That hope will not be fulfilled. Monirul has returned home in a coffin.

When Monirul's body reached his village home on Friday morning, his parents broke down in tears. Having lost their only son, their wailing weighed heavily on the household. Monirul was 24 years old.

Monirul was the son of Yasin Ali of Kumargari Chandrakona village in Raipur Union of Pirganj upazila in Rangpur. Among one son and two daughters, Monirul was the family's only earning member. To overcome the family's financial hardship, he was sent to Malaysia in March 2023 with borrowed money. After that, the family ran somehow on the money he sent. All of his parents' hopes and their vision of the future centred on him.

Family members said they received the news of Monirul's death from Malaysia on 15 October. But they still have no clear information about how or why he died. They were told that after sleeping at night, Monirul did not wake up in the morning. He was then taken to a hospital there, where a doctor declared him dead.

Bereft after losing his only son, father Yasin Ali said in a tearful voice that he had sent his son abroad with great hope, making himself destitute. He had thought his son would earn money and the family would run well. All hopes and dreams are over. Monirul was the family's only support, and he asked what would happen now.

His mother, Monoara Begum, has been lamenting since receiving the news of her son's death. She said that before going abroad her son had told her not to worry, that he would work abroad and send money, and that there would be no more hardship. She said she does not want money; she wants her son back in her arms.

Relatives said that alongside removing the family's hardship, Monirul dreamed of bringing a smile to his parents' faces. Whatever he sent from his hard earnings abroad covered the family's daily expenses. After his death, the family has lost not only its only son, but also its only means of running the household.

At around 2:45am on Thursday night, relatives received Monirul's body from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. When the body reached the village home this morning, relatives, neighbours and local people gathered to see him for the last time. After the janaza following Friday prayers, he was buried in the family graveyard.

Other relatives have also been shattered by Monirul's death. His uncle Altaf Hossain said they had sent their nephew abroad with great hope, but he returned as a corpse. They do not even know how he died. They want to know what actually happened on 15 October, and he demanded a proper investigation to uncover the real cause of Monirul's death.