In 2004, Abdur and his family made the difficult decision for Abdur to go to Ireland to apply for asylum. They planned to reunite after a few years, believing that Abdur would be able to send for them once his status had been approved.
In Ireland, Abdur lived in an accommodation centre while his application was considered. But by 2011, he had still not been able to bring his wife and children to Ireland. Abdur wanted to return home but had no resources after seven years in the asylum system. His solicitor told him to contact IOM for return assistance, so Abdur made an appointment with the Dublin office.
Even with IOM’s support, Abdur felt anxious about returning. He knew that his home would be different, and he had not seen his family in seven years. Before he left Ireland, Abdur began preparing a business plan to establish a livelihood again.
“Returning was the only logical decision for me.”
Once in Bangladesh, Abdur was excited to be home. He applied for the reintegration grant immediately, and began a small stationary shop. He had originally wanted to open a photocopy business but found that there was too much competition.
After six months, Abdur spoke with IOM staff about his reintegration experience. His business was operative although not profitable yet. He was confident that he would be able to support his family with the profit soon.
