Relatives of the migrants consoled themselves that their kin did not die like the 11 youths who lost their lives on the Mediterranean while en route to Spain from Morocco in the third week of February this year.

The three youths - Bishawjit, 24, Saiful, 23 and Shiplu, 25, of Mandolpara area of the district town - gave a total of Tk 16 lakh fifty thousand to a broker named Sarwar, of nearby Baburail area, in return for being sent to Italy.

The amount was given in two phases: the first on September 26 of last year, when Abdul Bari, the father of Shiplu, handed over Tk seven lakh to Sarwar on behalf of the three families.

Sarwar then flew to Sudan with the three young men, and began putting pressure over the telephone to their families once he arrived to pay the remaining nine lakh fifty thousand. The families, fearing for their children, eventually paid the second amount to Sarwar's brother-in-law.

After six months in Sudan, the youths began protesting the cheating, but the broker and his associates rebuked their protests.

They finally returned home empty-handed on April 12, reporting that many youths cheated by brokers are languishing in Sudan.

The father of Shiplu filed a case last Saturday against Sarwar with the district sadar thana. Sarwar, meanwhile, is absconding.