Desk Report: It was an amazingly happy occasion as 41-year-old Mursheda, who remained traceless for long ten years till her identification at a mental hospital in West Bengal of India in May last year, returned to her elderly parents in Melandah upazila under the district on Friday.
Mursheda, daughter of poor parents Nomej Uddin Nonda, 86, and Sahara Begum, 76, of Pashchim Brahmanpara village under Melandah upazila, went missing at the age of 30 when she was suffering from bipolar disorder.
“After failed search in Jamalpur and Dhaka for years, I came to know in early May last year that my daughter was at Bahrampur Mental Hospital in Murshidabad of West Bengal,” said Sahara.
“I cannot say how happy I am to get back my daughter after long 11 years,” said the mother while the father, suffering from senility, beamed with happiness as this correspondent visited their house.
“At the age of 15, Mursheda was married to neighbour Haibar Sheikh. But he and his family members often tortured her mentally and physically.
Meantime, she became mother of two daughters and a son. At the age 28, she developed mental problem. Two years later, her husband divorced her,” said Sahara.
Recalling the incident, Mursheda said, “Afterwards, seeing Haibar along with my three children leaving the village for Dhaka to settle there, I alone followed him and met him in Jamalpur town as the last attempt to reconcile considering the future of my children. But he did not respond.”
“I lost control over myself and got into a train from Jamalpur station. Since then I remained detached from my parents,” she narrated.
“Seeing Mursheda roaming in a street of Burdwan of West Bengal in early 2013, police arranged her admission to Bahrampur Mental Hospital in Murshidabad. Her mental condition developed to a satisfactory level in two years,” said Prashanta Chowdhury, superintendent of the hospital.
With three years’ additional mental therapy like music, dance, yoga, stitching work and counselling provided by Anjali, a non-government mental health care organisation, Mursheda was able to socialise, said Swatilekha Dhar Gupta, a music therapist of Anjali.
Ratna Boli Ray, director of Anjali, started working for her return after this correspondent identified her parents and sent necessary documents for the purpose to them in September last year.
After a long repatriation process done by the higher authorities concerned of the two countries, Mursheda was handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh at Benapole Immigration Check Post on September 13.
After staying at a shelter home run by Ahsania Mission in Jessore for a week, Mursheda finally returned to her parents.
“I will have to survive for my elderly parents,” said a promising Mursheda.
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