American dream ruined for 27

Monjur Islam, a 20-year-old Bangladeshi, travelled at least 15,000km in 11 countries of Asia and the Americas in his four-month-long journey to reach his dreamland, the United States of America.

He left Bangladesh for the American dream without having proper knowledge about the country. He thought going there was the best option for earning more and bringing solvency to his family.

He along with 11 other Bangladeshis left Bangladesh on November 22 in 2014 for the world's largest economy.

They used air, water and land routes in their journey. Finally, they entered California through Mexico on March 31 last year.

In their way to the US, they had to go to the UAE, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico.

They each paid between Tk 10 and Tk 30 lakh to manpower brokers for getting them to the US.

“We faced obstructions from the law enforcers in many countries. They detained us for illegal entry. Later, they released us on our request and confirmation that we were going to the US to seek asylum,” said Monjur, who was deported early yesterday from the US after serving 14 months in a US jail since March last year.

He was among 27 Bangladeshis who reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday after serving jail in the US for illegal entry.

Of them, 11 returnees hail from Noakhali, eight from Sylhet, three from Dhaka, two from Munshiganj, one each from Barisal, Madaripur and Comilla. 

“We were hand-cuffed in the air for more than 72 hours of our journey.  Besides, we were not allowed to speak with them,” Monjur, who hails from Noakhali, told The Daily Star.

When this paper contacted the US embassy in Dhaka via email for comments, its public affairs officer said, “While I cannot comment on specific cases, noting that the US Department of Homeland Security is the lead US government agency on deportation and asylum, I would like to affirm our understanding that the cases you [this correspondent] are referring to were handled appropriately under US law.”

“The people involved were afforded numerous procedural protections including, but not limited to, the right to be represented by an attorney, to contest any charges of deportation, and to present evidence and to examine any evidence against them,” the US embassy official further mentioned.

After their entrance to the US, Monjur along with seven other Bangladeshis surrendered to the US immigration officials in California and sought help in staying in that country as political asylum seekers.

“We had no other option other than surrendering to the police. Besides, we believed that we might be considered as asylum seekers,” he said.

But the officials detained them and sent them to jail. Later, the Bangladeshis were produced before a US court for several times.

Finally, the court rejected their appeals based on the US immigration department's objections last year.

Rasel Ahmed, 30, another victim from Sylhet, echoed Monjur and alleged that the local brokers allured him into taking the risky journey.

“We have been ruined. We have lost our money. We lost everything,” he said.

Earlier, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at a press conference on March 31 informed reporters that the US would be sending back 30 Bangladeshis following a US court order.