Story of a Bangladeshi woman who eloped with a Rohingya
When she discovered that her husband was a Rohingya she had to accept it even if it was too late
In 2011, a 22 year old Bangladeshi woman by the name of Siraj Khatun, eloped with Siddique. She later discovered her husband was a Rohingya but she had to accept it even if it was too late. To be together and avail relief benefits, Siddique managed to list her as a Rohingya in Kutupalong Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar, providng a fake father's name and address in Myanmar.
In 2018, her husband Siddique went missing and helpless Siraj Khatun, with her children, fled the Rohingya camp and went to her village home in Padua of Rangunia upazila in Chattogram district. Her family prepared to send her to Oman to make a living.
On 3 June this year, she was identified as a Rohingya when she went for fingerprinting at the Mansurabad Passport Office under the Double Mooring Police Station in Chattogram. She was arrested and sent to jail on 4 June.
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"It seems like fiction, but it is the truth. After I came to know about her, I decided to appear in court on her behalf," said human rights lawyer, Advocate AM Zia Habib Ahsan, to reporters on Tuesday morning.
"A Bangladeshi national is not allowed to marry a Rohingya. On the other hand, Rohingyas who have taken shelter in various camps as refugees are not allowed to get a passport and go abroad," he added.
On 16 June, Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Mehnaz Rahman granted Siraj Khatun bail. After spending 26 days in jail with her nine month old baby, she was released on Tuesday as a Bangladeshi, the lawyer said.
According to Siraj Khatun, "Siddique was a muezzin at a mosque in North Padua of Rangunia ten years ago. He also worked as a day labourer on other people's croplands. We got acquainted, fell in love, and eloped. However, we could not decide on where to settle and spent time in various places before we started living in the camp."
"There was nothing I could do when I came to know he was a Rohingya. We often ended up quarrelling and he began to abuse me and my children. One of our three children died tortured," she added.
The Bangladesh Human Rights Foundation has provided free legal aid to the woman.
