Dead in a Slovakian forest, his body returns home

The body of Farid Uddin Ahmed, who died in a Slovakian forest during a journey to enter France from Ukraine, was returned to his home in Sylhet.

His family members received his body at Sylhet MAG Osmani International Airport yesterday morning.

Farid, 35, of Karikona village of Bishwanath upazila worked at a private bank in the upazila and left behind his wife and a three-year old daughter.

With an ambition to migrate to Europe, Farid went to Russia as a tourist during World Cup Football last year. A month after the tournament ended, he made his way to Ukraine and stayed there for a long time.

There he made his acquaintance with an agent named Liton Barua, originally from Chattogram. Farid made a contract with the agent and his family handed over Tk 7 lakh to an agent named Kamal of Beanibazar upazila in Sylhet.

On August 28, Farid started his journey to France from Ukraine through Slovakia.

On September 2, Farid’s brother Kawsar, who is living in the UK, received a phone call from an unknown person who claimed that he was accompanying Farid when he fell sick on the way to France, and went missing in a forest in Slovakia.

Later on September 9, they learned from a Slovakian online news portal that the police recovered a body from the forest.

Farid’s family members and relatives then contacted Slovakian Police and identified the body. They also visited Slovakia to complete all formalities.

After a long and arduous process, with help from foreign ministry of Bangladesh, the body was returned home.

Farid’s brother Alauddin was at the airport to receive the body. He alleged that the agents intentionally killed Farid on the way and assured them that he was alive until they got confirmation of the death.

“We want the agents to be punished,” he said.

Farid will be buried in the graveyard of his home village today, his family members said.