A Bangladeshi youth named Mohammad Sohan was shot dead by miscreants in South Africa, and his family has appealed to the government to bring back his body.
The incident took place on Thursday night in the Katlehong area near Johannesburg. The deceased, Sohan, was the son of Dulal Hossain from Chikonmati village in Kashipur Union under Ranisankail upazila of Thakurgaon. He was working as an employee at a grocery shop in South Africa.
According to family sources, he was working with the shop owner on the evening of the incident. During a sudden power outage, the owner went to the back of the shop to bring candles, when miscreants who had been lying in wait opened fire without warning, killing Sohan on the spot.
Sohan’s father Dulal Hossain and mother Sahinur Begum said in tears, “We sent our son abroad with great difficulty, hoping for his future. Now we have received the news of his death. We will not get him back alive, but we want to bring his body home and bury him with our own hands.”
His uncle Delowar Hossain said Sohan had been sent to South Africa with heavy loans and the family has been devastated by the sudden news of his death. He added that although the exact reason behind the killing is not confirmed, he has heard that Sohan died from gunshot wounds.
His maternal uncle Moharam Ali Mithu said, “We appeal to the government to arrange for Sohan’s body to be brought back home quickly.”
Former local Union Parishad member Ismail Hossain said the family is extremely helpless and Sohan was their only hope. He added that the entire area is mourning his death and urged the government to take steps to return the body.
Thakurgaon Deputy Commissioner Rafiqul Haque said the administration has been informed about the expatriate’s death and efforts are underway to bring the body back to the country quickly.
