A Bangladeshi migrant worker who had been missing for 27 years in Malaysia returned home to Bangladesh on April 24. Amir Hossain Talukdar, 62, from Naria upazila of Shariatpur, arrived in Dhaka around midnight on a Batik Air flight and was welcomed by officials and family members at the airport [1].
Amir went to Malaysia in 1996 seeking work. He stayed in contact with his family and sent money home for the first three years, but then all contact suddenly stopped, according to his brother Babu Talukdar, who said, "Then suddenly, all contact was lost" and "We thought he might no longer be alive" [1].
Bangladeshi migrants in Penang shared photos and videos of Amir living in a small tin shed in a jungle in a mentally unstable state. This led BRAC and his family to be alerted to his location [1]. The Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia issued a travel pass and helped arrange his return [1].
BRAC coordinated his return to Shariatpur and said it would provide treatment and support for Amir upon arrival. Shariful Hasan of BRAC described the situation as "spending nearly 30 years abroad and remaining out of contact with family for 27 years is extremely heartbreaking" and added, "This is not just one man’s return—it is the end of a long wait for an entire family" [1].
Amir’s return ended a nearly three-decade disappearance that had left his loved ones uncertain of his fate. His family welcomed him back after 27 years of silence and absence.
