Bangladeshis get their own cemetery in Egypt
Many Bangladeshis have been living in Egypt for a long time. Naturally, some expatriate Bangladeshis passed away in the North African country. However, there was no plan in place to bury them locally. As a result, the Bangladesh Embassy and the expat community faced numerous challenges.
The bodies of deceased expatriates are sent back to Bangladesh at a high cost. Previously, bodies of two expatriate Bangladeshis could not be sent back, so they were buried in an Egyptian cemetery under local rules and conditions, which the deceased's relatives found unacceptable.
Md Monirul Islam, Bangladesh's Ambassador to Egypt, took the initiative to address the issue and began discussions and consultations with expatriates. As there was no official funding for the cemetery purchase, an expatriate Bangladeshi who did not want to be named stepped forward at the request of the ambassador. It was decided to purchase a cemetery for expatriate Bangladeshis with his financial assistance.
Following that, work on purchasing a small plot of land for Bangladeshis began near large government-run cemeteries in various parts of Egypt. The cemetery in the Obour area, east of Cairo city, was chosen after considering the feasibility and value.
Sixty square metres of burial ground for Bangladeshis were purchased as the location is suitable from all directions. The expatriates can be buried according to Bangladeshi traditions and customs.
Abul Kalam Azad, an expatriate Bangladeshi, was the first to be buried in the Bangladeshi cemetery on May 12, 2022, after all the formalities were completed. He died of heart attack while receiving treatment at Cairo's Nasr City Hospital. Arrangements were made to bury him in the Bangladeshi cemetery in Egypt, at the request of his son, Al-Azhar.
The janaza and burial were attended by embassy officials and employees and expatriate Bangladeshis.
Md Monirul Islam said, "A long-standing expectation of Bangladeshis living in Egypt has been fulfilled through its own cemetery system. As a result, Bangladeshis will be able to complete their burials easily and quickly by following our customs."
He encouraged Bangladeshis living in Egypt to visit the cemetery by contacting the embassy.
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