Pregnant mother of two hopes for new life in UAE after losing mother, son

Ferdous's husband, Mohammed Mousa's visa expired in 2009.

From losing her older son to leukemia and her mother to kidney failure, the ongoing UAE amnesty scheme is the only hope for a Bangladeshi national to begin a new life.
Jannatul Ferdous, mother of two children and pregnant with the third child, said she and her family suffered a series of unfortunate incidents in life that led to her residency status turn 'illegal'.
Ferdous's husband, Mohammed Mousa's visa expired in 2009. Since she and her children were his dependents, they have been living undocumented in the UAE ever since.
Things went from bad to worse for the family starting in 2007. "My older son Mohammed Suhail was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. We battled the disease as much as we could. However, we lost him on July 16, 2011. He died here in Sharjah when he was only five years old."
Jannatul Ferdous gave birth to her older daughter Mariam in 2008 and her son Masood in 2011. "They were both born at the Al Qasimia Hospital in Sharjah. Due to unpaid hospital bills, both my children do not have birth certificates and have never been in school. I have been homeschooling them."
Making matters worse for the family, Jannatul Ferdous's mother was diagnosed with kidney failure and passed away in 2017. "She had lived in the UAE for 45 years. We have been here in the UAE for so long that we have no connection with Chittagong anymore. Furthermore, my father had sold our home in Bangladesh to fund my brother's education. We have nothing to go back to," she lamented.
Today, the family has been making ends meet by working small, part-time jobs. "My husband and I earn approximately Dh3,000 from part-time work. The rent, including electricity and water, is Dh2,500. We make do with whatever is left," she explained. With the ongoing amnesty, Jannatul Ferdous hopes that she will now be able to rectify her status and send her children to school.
With another baby on the way, Jannatul Ferdous also needs emergency funds to pay for her upcoming delivery. "I am eight months pregnant. I will be delivering my baby hopefully at the Thumbay Hospital in Ajman," she added.
A sponsor has agreed to help with visa requirements of the family provided they clear some of their dues.
"There is nothing for us back in Chittagong. I will have no support, especially to raise my kids. My only priority is that my children be educated. I have lost much in my life, but I want my kids to have a good life with education," said a tearful Jannatul Ferdous.
The Bangladesh consulate did not respond to requests for comments.
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com  

• Sharjah