A Bangladeshi youth has been killed in a road accident in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The news of his death reached his family nearly 20 days after the incident.
Md Almas Sardar Farid, 24, a resident of South Balithuba village in Faridganj upazila of Chandpur, was the youngest son of journalist Abu Taleb Sardar, correspondent of the Chandpur-based daily Ilsha Pahar and a member of Faridganj Press Club.
Family members said Farid had been living in Saudi Arabia for about two and a half years in search of better livelihood opportunities.
He had been working at a copy shop. His communication with the family was cut off from 24 March.
After several days of searching and uncertainty, the family was informed of his death on Wednesday afternoon through a phone call from Saudi Arabia.
They were told that Farid died in a road accident in Riyadh on 24 March.
The bereaved father said his son was the youngest among two brothers and two sisters. “We sent him abroad with hopes that he would support the family.
For 20 days we had no contact, and later we learned of his death,” he said, adding that he has urged the government to assist in bringing his son’s body back to the country.
The incident has cast a pall of grief over the local community in Faridganj as well as among members of the journalistic community.
Faridganj Press Club President Mamunur Rashid Pathan and General Secretary Nurul Islam Farhad expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death, and conveyed condolences to the bereaved family, praying for the eternal peace of the deceased.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Setu Kumar Barua also expressed condolences, saying necessary steps would be taken to repatriate the body in coordination with the family’s request.
