'No one is safe here': Feni expatriate recounts night of fear amid explosions in Qatar
A Bangladeshi expatriate in Qatar recounts a night of terror and sleeplessness as Iranian missile retaliation following US-Israel strikes turned the Gulf state into the front line of a rapidly escalating regional crisis
Mobarak Hossain, 37, from Feni, went to Qatar in 2016 on a work visa and joined a construction company, hoping to build a stable future for his family back home.
Currently working in the city of Al Shahaniya, he is among residents facing a terrifying situation that left him and other Bangladeshis deeply shaken.
As of today (1 March), Qatar is facing a significant security crisis following a large-scale Iranian missile and drone attack in retaliation to US-Israel's airstrikes targeting Iran since 28 February. While there are no confirmed reports of direct airstrikes specifically targeting Al Shahaniya city, the region is on high alert due to its proximity to major military targets and reported debris falls.
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For Mobarok, what was meant to be another routine night in Qatar has turned into hours of fear and sleeplessness as explosions rocked the area around him.
Speaking over the phone today, Mobarak said the blasts were so frequent that no one in his building could sleep.
In his own words, he said:
"Assalamu Alaikum. No one is safe here; no one is safe. This morning, this hit right next to our building. And all the bombs are passing over our building. The people here did not sleep at all last night. We didn't sleep at all out of fear.
Around us, those things that go up... the missiles they fire, they explode above us, and then the shells [shrapnel] fall down. If they fall on the roof, the roof will break, and the building will break. We are facing a lot of problems. Every minute, we are tense.
Whenever we try to go to sleep, there's a whistling sound, or if it's loud, we run out of the room in fear. We go outside and look up to see when it might fall or what the situation is. We are in a lot of trouble. Not just me, all the Bangladeshis here are in trouble. You can see from everywhere... it's falling here, it's falling there.
We are on the 4th floor; I stay on the ground floor. This is the situation. Actually, many missiles passed by, and everyone was recording videos, but I didn't do that. I was just praying for my life. I was so worried that I didn't record a video, but I took some photos myself while I was in front of our room. After hearing the sound, I went out and saw this."
Each sharp, whistling sound forced residents to rush outside in panic, fearing where the next explosion might strike.
Mobarok described debris falling from the sky after explosions overhead, worrying that even a single impact on the roof could cause severe damage to the building. "Every minute, we are tense," he said.
According to him, many Bangladeshis in the area are facing the same ordeal – gripped by uncertainty and praying for safety as the sounds of explosions echo nearby.
While others were recording videos of the incident, Mobarak said survival was his only concern. "I was just praying for my life," he said.
For a migrant worker who left Feni nearly a decade ago to earn a living abroad, the frightening night in Qatar has left deep emotional scars and an overwhelming sense that, at least for now, no one feels safe.
The regional crisis escalated sharply on 28 February when the United States and Israel launched a coordinated operation – referred to as "Operation Epic Fury" or "Roaring Lion" – targeting Tehran.
The strikes resulted in the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, marking a dramatic turning point in the conflict.
In the immediate aftermath, Iran launched multiple waves of missiles and drones toward Doha in retaliation, placing Qatar – home to the strategically vital Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military facility in the Middle East – at the centre of the fallout.
Multiple interceptions were reported over the Qatari capital, and authorities declared they reserved the "full right to respond" to what they described as a violation of national sovereignty.
Beyond the security implications, the escalation has triggered significant economic shockwaves across the Gulf.
