Coronavirus: Family face uncertain future after father's death

Afroja Islam

Mofizul's wife Afroja was not able to go to his funeral because she was in isolation

By David Cowan
BBC Scotland

A Bangladeshi family are facing an uncertain future after their father died with coronavirus shortly after starting a new life in Scotland.

They believe Mofizul Islam, 49, caught the virus during daily three-hour bus journeys between his Edinburgh home and his job at a Midlothian pizza outlet.

He died on 5 April and was buried in a city cemetery but his wife and children were in isolation and unable to attend.

His death has left them "completely helpless", according to a friend.

Shaha Haque told BBC Scotland the family were struggling for money and food but the community would help them out.

The Bangladeshi shopkeeper, who befriended Mofizul after he arrived in Edinburgh, said: "They have no documents, no bank account, no nothing. They have problems."

Islam family

Mofizul Islam died with coronavirus at the beginning of April

Mofizul and his 19-year-old son Azaharul arrived in the UK from Bangladesh last year.

They settled in Wester Hailes in Edinburgh and were joined by his wife, Afroja Islam Poly, and 13-year-old Sadia at the beginning of March, just as Scotland confirmed its first case of Covid-19.

Mofizul stopped working after the UK declared its lockdown but then fell ill and died.

He was buried in the Muslim section of an Edinburgh cemetery.

His widow said: "My husband was a very good man. He was for me like an angel. I can't tell you how I'm feeling about him. He was a very kind man."

Islam family

Azaharul said his father was "everything for us"

They now face a deeply uncertain future.

Having lived there some years ago, they have permanent residence cards for Italy.

They could return to Bangladesh, but Afroja doesn't want to leave the country where her husband is buried.

She still harbours hopes that her children can get the Scottish education that she and her husband had wanted for them.

Family friend Shaha Haque said the family were struggling for money but the community would help them out

They are being supported by Mr Haque, who paid for Mofizul's grave.

He hopes Mofizul's son, Azaharul, will be able to find work.

"We are very worried about our future because we don't have our father," Azaharull said. "He was everything for us. And now we are just hopeless."