By Ghazala Ahmad
“It is getting really difficult without her to manage the home, kids and work. Every day I long for her and put the kids to sleep while answering their endless questions about why and where their mother is”, says Jumman Fakir, husband of 40-year-old Sahida Fakir.
It’s been a month since Jumman Fakir and his two sons have seen her, as she was pushed into Bangladesh after being detained by police in Navi Mumbai on suspicion of being an “infiltrator”, despite her family submitting multiple government records establishing her Indian citizenship and identity.
Jumman told Maktoob, “Every day before heading to work, I do the household work, cook food, wash dishes, clothes for the next day, get kids ready for school and make their lunchbox. When she was here, I never had to worry about any of these things.”
Fakir returns from work late in the evening. “While I used to be at work, she used to take care of the kids after they returned home from school. She used to keep the food ready before I arrived from work”, he said.
“Now, when I am at work and the kids are at home, I am always worried about them. What if the police also brand them as Bangladeshis and send them away in my absence? I am always in fear”, he added.
He further said, “We don’t have anyone else to look after the children, so they manage their afternoon food. They never had to boil an egg, but now they are doing it on their own. They sometimes burn their hands too. We feel so helpless without her.”
He used to look forward to returning home when Sahida was there. Jumman now returns home at night and prepares the house for the next day, and the cycle repeats itself.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.