Dreams sink into the Mediterranean

Shahrukh Khan is 58 years old. For a long time, success seemed to elude him; however, last year he returned to the screen in a new avatar as King Khan. First, he portrayed a Pathan, then a youthful character, and finally, he unleashed his signature charm with a storm. The Mumbai film industry, sitting humbly in the south, seemed to embrace Shahrukh anew. Last year, his three films may not have created storms at the box office like his previous ones. However, there has been much discussion, especially about his collaboration with Rajkumar Hirani. Many were intrigued by the prospect of their first collaboration. Due to the anticipation generated by films like "3 Idiots," "PK," and "Munna Bhai," Hirani had become an audience favorite. I haven't watched any of Shahrukh's three films from last year yet. However, I will watch "Dunki." Despite the fact that Shahrukh Khan is the reason for many, the primary reason lies more with Hirani. However, "Dunki" has been crafted with an underlying theme of illicit migration, reflecting the aspirations of a better life that drive many individuals from India to try illegal paths to reach Europe or America. In Punjab, India, such attempts are termed "Dunki flights." The film "Dunki" is inspired by such narratives.

As I haven't watched the movie, I am not aware of its specific plot. However, what I do know is that not only in India but also in Bangladesh, there are thousands of cinematic elements depicting various forms of pain and suffering within households. Not only in Bangladesh or India, but the world is divided into two parts primarily due to intense inequality. People in impoverished countries aspire to change their fate by migrating to developed countries, whether legally or illegally. People from the Indian subcontinent and Africa aspire to settle in Europe or America. Sometimes it just doesn't happen. So, people spend millions of dollars and take risks in their lives to cross borders. Some succeed, but many fail. Some end up drowning in the desert or in the sea. Every year, thousands of people fall into the trap of greed and lose their lives.

Bangladesh's economy rests on three key pillars: rice, remittances, and readymade garments. Despite various deficiencies in Bangladesh, there is no shortage of people. It's not the scarcity of people, but rather their resourcefulness, that drives our economy forward. People are the driving force behind our economy. The common belief is that labor is cheap in our country. We boast about having an abundance of food because farmers toil under the sun to produce rice. However, do we really understand the true value of the labor expended by these farmers? Every year, during the monsoon season, newspapers report that a plate of rice doesn't come with a piece of hilsa fish. The fish that's caught adds nothing else, yet its price surpasses that of rice. It's due to cheap labor that there's such a flurry of activity in Bangladesh's garment industry. Year after year, garment factory owners change their car models, while discussions about raising workers' wages are silenced.

Those who send remittances, which help fill Bangladesh's reserve coffers, are often the most neglected. Their treatment during arrivals and departures at the airport constitutes punishable offenses. However, those who smuggle wealth abroad by selling Bangladesh's assets and amassing wealth there receive VIP treatment at the airport. Even in Bangladesh's missions abroad, migrant workers are treated with the same disregard as dogs and cats.

The era of migration has been ongoing for ages. People want to settle wherever they find convenience. However, with the stringent border controls in place nowadays, illegal migration has become increasingly difficult and risky. Despite erecting massive walls along the Mexico border, the United States cannot prevent immigrants from crossing. In the late 1970s, people from Bangladesh began to migrate abroad extensively. Primarily, workers from Bangladesh work in the Middle East, Malaysia, and Singapore. Educated individuals aspire to go to Europe or America. People from rural areas sell their land and go abroad. But not everyone can go successfully; fortunes change for some. Many end up being cheated and exploited. Brokers often swindle their money. Some may go abroad but fail to secure promised jobs or financial stability. They struggle day after day, barely managing to save a small amount of money, if at all. Sending money by migrants often leads to other family members being exploited. Wives of migrants sometimes take control of the remitted money and mistreat others in the family. Many end up in dire straits trying to change their luck. In the jungles of Malaysia or Thailand, Bangladeshi youths' dreams turn into nightmares, with many dying unnoticed. The plight of female migrant workers is even more pitiful. Besides other forms of exploitation, they often become victims of sexual harassment. Bodies of migrant workers regularly arrive at the airport.

Even those who go abroad through legal channels often become victims of exploitation and harassment over time. And for those who want to go abroad through illegal means, they essentially gamble with their lives. I mentioned Hindi cinema earlier. In another movie I watched, a group of people in desperate need of money are drawn into organizing a risky event for profit. They engage in various risky activities to survive. If they survive, they stand to earn a lot of money, which is why many are tempted to participate in the event. The situation for those who want to go to Europe or America through illegal channels is similar. Despite knowing the risks of death, they embark on journeys through deserts or across the sea in search of a better life.

Two days ago, seeing a headline in a newspaper, this writing proposal came to mind, "My father didn't want to go to Italy, you guys persuaded him." Sajal Bairagi from Madaripur left the country by giving 12 lakh taka to the middleman to go to Italy. This is criticized by his father, Sunil Bairagi. We don't know the exact number of Sunil Bairagi's lost children now. Last week, six people, including three young Bangladeshis, died on their way to Italy illegally on a boat in the Mediterranean. 52 people have been rescued alive. Several are still missing. Middlemen take 10-12 lakh taka to send Bangladeshi youths to Italy. They first take them to Dubai. Then they take them to Libya by Ben-Gazhi. Last Friday (February 15), an engine-powered boat carrying nearly 70 asylum seekers from various countries including Bangladesh set off for Italy across the Mediterranean. When the boat carrying asylum seekers entered the waters of Tunisia's border, it capsized. The boat sank when it carried 70 people instead of 30. Maybe such boats can go to Italy. Some manage to enter Italy by bribing the police, but most of the dreams sink in the depths of the Mediterranean.

I was saying that there are hundreds of stories like Dunki's in Bangladesh. One of my relatives tried to go to Europe and ended up facing death. He returned home alive. However, the stories of his journey—hidden in covered vans, surviving in the desert, attempting to cross the sea in a wooden boat—are more unbelievable and thrilling than a movie.

The route from Libya to the shores of the Mediterranean to reach Italy has now become the most terrifying death trap in the world. Reports of boat capsizes in the Mediterranean are often headline news in the international media. According to statistics from international migration agencies, last year, 3,800 people lost their lives on various migration routes. In 2017, this number was 4,255. However, since the entire endeavor is illegal, we may never know the exact number of deaths.

As I said, since there are more people in Bangladesh, labor becomes cheaper. And this cheap labor is exploited both domestically and internationally. However, in Bangladesh, life is cheaper than labor itself. These three young men from Madaripur drowned in the Mediterranean, but who will be held accountable for their dreams lost? I can say with certainty that nobody will be held accountable. Their tragedy will go unpunished. Various international human rights organizations talk about many issues, but the deaths of thousands of young people every year do not register with them. Migration will continue. No one can stop it. And we will want more people to go abroad for remittances, but let the migration process be legal and safe. Hearing the words of the middlemen, we seem to be heading towards uncertainty. Life is precious. There is nothing more valuable than that.

Author: Writer, Head of News, ATN News