Boy, 16, found in shipping container in Malaysia returns to Bangladesh
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The boy was not a stowaway attempting to sneak into Malaysia, but was accidentally locked into the container after playing in it.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SEPANG, Malaysia - A 16-year-old Bangladeshi boy who was found in a shipping container in Port Klang in January has been safely repatriated back to his home country.
Malaysia’s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the teenager, named Fahim, had sailed from Chittagong in Bangladesh to Port Klang. He was found in a weak condition on Jan 17 when the ship docked at port.
Datuk Seri Saifuddin said that based on investigations, there were no elements of human trafficking in Fahim’s case. He added that the container in which the teen was found was brought in by the MV Integra, which had sailed out of Bangladesh.
The teen was unintentionally locked up in the container while playing with friends.
“Our consideration at that time was to save him and we sent him to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang until he was nursed back to health,” he told reporters at a press conference at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Tuesday after seeing the teen off.
“During that period, the Home Ministry contacted the Bangladesh High Commission to help prepare his (travel) papers,” he said, adding that Fahim did not have any travel documents.
He also said he enlisted the help of non-governmental organisation Yayasan Chow Kit to care for the teen pending the repatriation process.
“The victim is a child that should be protected. Secondly, there is the need to protect lives because it was a miracle that he survived in the container despite being on sea for days,” Mr Saifuddin said.
He explained that those without valid travel documents would normally be sent to immigration depots, but an exemption was made in this case.
Mr Saifuddin said that during a recent visit to Bangladesh, he had informed the Bangladeshi Home Minister that he would facilitate the repatriation process.
He said officials would accompany the boy from the Bangladesh High Commission to ensure a safe journey via a Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Dhaka.
“He will be brought back to his family. This is a manifestation of the Malaysia Madani principle to show compassion towards another human,” he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
