Oman tragedy: Rocky never held his newborn, Arju’s daughter senses her father gone forever
7 Bangladeshis from Sandwip upazila in Chattogram killed in Oman road accident
Four-month-old Mohammad Noor had never felt his father's touch.
On Wednesday afternoon, around 3pm Bangladesh time, the baby saw his father, Mohammad Rocky, over a video call from Oman. Rocky, preparing to leave for work, kept asking to see his son again.
An hour later, Rocky was dead. He was among eight Bangladeshis killed in a road accident at Duqm Siddah, a desert coastal area of Oman.
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Of them, seven men were from Sandwip upazila in Chattogram. They had been on their way to the sea for fishing when tragedy struck midway.
The victims were identified as Amin Majhi, Md Arju, Md Rocky, Shahabuddin, and Md Babul from Sarikait union; and Md Jewel and Md Rony from Maitbhanga and Rahmatpur unions, respectively.
They all worked in Oman's fishing sector. The news plunged the entire island into mourning.
Rocky, 25, was the eldest son of Mohammad Ibrahim of Sarikait's Ward-2. Ten months ago, his wife Mosammat Ruma was pregnant. Rocky had dreamt of returning home to hold and cherish their child.
His father told The Business Standard, "My son used to fish here before he went abroad seven years ago, hoping for a better life. Our family of six lived on his income. Yesterday, he kept asking to see his baby on a video call before going to work. By evening, I heard he was gone."
Returned to Oman just 21 days ago
In Sarikait's Munshi Bari area, two houses stand across from each other – one belonging to Shahabuddin and the other to Bablu.
Both men had returned to Oman only 21 days ago, on 17 September, after spending two months at home.
Shahabuddin's family is shattered. His father, Abu Siddique, broke down holding his four-month-old granddaughter Achia Moni.
"He loved this child more than anything," he said, his voice breaking. "He came home after two years, spent all his time with her, and now she will grow up without her father."
Bablu had been the sole breadwinner of his family since his father's death. His elder brother, Mohammad Alamgir, said bablu had married off his three sisters with his hard-earned savings from Oman.
"He did everything for us, but never for himself," Alamgir told TBS.
"The roof of his house still leaks during rain. He went back to earn enough to fix it and to send his two young children – aged four and two – to school. Just three days ago, he completed his son's birth registration. Yesterday he tried calling me, but I was asleep. I came home only two days ago after three months at sea. I never got to say goodbye," he said.
Father will never return
At Arju's home in Rahmatpur, grief filled the air. The sound of mourning echoed through the narrow village paths.
Amidst the crying, his three-year-old daughter, Anisha Jannat, seemed to sense that her father was gone forever.
Arju's father, Shahid Ullah, said his son had once run a small cooling corner shop in Sandwip before moving abroad to join his elder brother in Oman's fishing trade.
"He still had debts to pay," he said. "He dreamed of a better life for his child, but fate didn't allow it."
Arju had returned home about a year and a half ago for a six-month visit before heading back overseas.
Mourning across Sandwip
The deaths have cast a pall of grief across Sandwip. Families and neighbours are waiting anxiously for the bodies to be brought home.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mangcingnu Marma told TBS, "The entire area is mourning. I visited the victims' homes today. The administration has provided food, clothing, and financial aid to the families. The process to bring the bodies back has already begun. We've instructed local officials to collect the required documents for government assistance."
