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Bangladeshi tailor hits pay dirt!

DUBAI - Ashim Bhattacharjee, a Bangladeshi tailor from Ras Al Khaimah, has won Dh500,000 in the first draw of the Emirates Post's Postcard Millionaire campaign. Bhattacharjee, holder of ticket number 4555675, won the prize after picking up a pack of postcards at Ras Al Khaimah's Al Nakheel Post Office.

Abdulla Al Daboos, Director-General of Emirates Post, handed over a cheque for Dh500,000 to Bhattacharjee, at a ceremony held at the Emirates Post head office yesterday, in the presence of senior officials of Emirates Post.

"The Postcard Millionaire has been designed to give an opportunity to people to win some big prizes by spending a small sum on a pack of four postcards," said Mr Al Daboos. "There are many more chances for others to buy these postcards and change their lives, just like Bhattacharjee."

Thirty-two year old Bhattacharjee, from Chittagong, Bangladesh, has been working as a tailor in Ras Al Khaimah for the past nine years. He bought the ticket the day after his return from Bangladesh, where he had been on an extended holiday to get married. Upon going to the Al Nakheel Post Office, last week, to post a letter, Postcard Millionaire posters caught Bhattacharjee's attention and he decided to buy a pack of postcards.

This pack proved extremely lucky for Bhattacharjee who bought his postcard pack after the June 30 draw date. Bhattacharjee's Dh500,000 win has opened up a realm of new opportunities for him. On his monthly salary of Dh1,500, the prospect of having his family join him in the UAE had earlier seemed remote. Now, Bhattacharjee plans to bring his wife and father to the UAE before the end of the year. Bhattacharjee's ambitions to have a grocery store of his own will also be fulfilled through this bonanza.

"The first thing I will do is to buy some gold for my wife. I also want to start a small grocery business of my own. I will not give up working as a tailor, because it has been my profession for over 16 years and I enjoy what I do," said Bhattacharjee.

For another winner, Don Karunaratne Perera, a Sri Lankan driver working in Dubai and holder of ticket number 3401074, winning Dh25,000 has meant peace of mind. Perera's win has enabled him to pay off his debts and he can now look forward to the possibility of spending an extended period of time with his family back home. Perera bought his winning pack of postcards from the Al Quoz Post Office and posted the four postcards included in the pack to members of his family in Sri Lanka.

The Postcard Millionaire campaign has brought much joy to many people since its launch in June this year. Perera and Bhattacharjee join the list of Postcard Millionaire winners, whose lives have been impacted by their recent gains. Among them are Mohammed Mangodi, Mohammed Kutty and Mahabul Alam, who have each won Dh10,000.

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