Jubaer, Naima's eldest son, read a very poignant poem about missing his dad who was deported to Bangladesh, remembering what family life was like with him and wishing to grow wings to fly and meet his father.

Download the campaign's Summer 2007 Newsletter

Naima and her three children face deportation to Bangladesh.

While in Bangladesh Naima Alam Maznura and her family faced harassment and violence due to her husband's political affiliation. Her husband had to go into hiding due to fear of his life. In October 2000 her husband's political opponents abducted Naima to force her to give information about his whereabouts. She was gang raped and tortured but refused to say where her husband was and was subsequently dumped. Having being left with no choice but to flee Bangladesh for their children's and their own safety Naima, her husband and their young son arrived in Britain in 2002 and claimed asylum.

Despite campaigning and fighting their way through the courts, Naima's husband Zahangir was deported back to Bangladesh at the end of March 2005. He is now living illegally and in hiding in a third country as his and his family's lives continue to be under threat from political opponents in Bangladesh.

Naima and her husband had a second son while in Britain and their third child, a baby daughter, was born after her husband was deported. Naima has to manage alone now with three children.

"When my dad was forced to go back to Bangladesh, I felt sad and scared. I didn't know what was going to happen to him. He says he is not living at home cause he feels scared for his life. I just want us to be safe."
Jubaer aged 10, who has lived through his parents trauma.

If Naima and her three children were forced to go back to Bangladesh by the Home Office, their lives would be in danger because her husband's political opponents are still pursuing her husband and the rest of the family. Naima's own family has received threats from these people and, fearing for their safety, have told Naima clearly that they will not have anything to do with her or her children if she returns to Bangladesh.

Whilst in Dhaka, Naima had worked in a voluntary women's rights organisation and began writing in her spare time. In 1998 two of her books were published. One was about extremists impeding and denying women's rights. The public and the Mullahs response to these books were very negative as they were seen as very progressive and offensive to religion as well as culture and traditions. These books and a news article about her rape created a profile of Naima. Naima would also be at greater risk, as she would be perceived as a morally corrupt woman who has been even further corrupted by western influences during her four years stay in Britain. Naima fears that if she is returned she will also be on the run as she will be an easy target. She fears that it's not just her life, but also her 3 children's lives that will be at risk.

When Naima came to the UK she did not put her claim for international protection forward because of a variety of factors. When she did make her claim she was rebuffed by the Home Office and not given a right of appeal because they said that the country she came from was safe and that she had made her claim too late. They ignored the Gender Guidelines for Asylum Claims and failed to understand why she had not claimed sooner.

The situation is now very different as Bangladesh is no longer on the so-called 'white list' of safe countries. Naima has suffered discrimination, as she was not allowed an in-country right of appeal, because at the time Bangladesh was on the 'white list'. Naima was therefore not able to make a legal challenge. No independent Immigration Judge has looked at her case; so far it has only been the Home Office.

Naima was due to be removed in April 2005. She challenged being returned through legal representations and forwarded a fresh claim to the Home Office. They again rebuffed her. Naima remains in the UK with the same fears that she had when she came here. She is vulnerable to being removed by the Home Office and has been told to report in October 2006 to make travel documents. She has to take all the children and this is particularly frightening for her.

Despite her family responsibilities Naima is an active member of WAST (Women Asylum Seekers Together), supporting other asylum seeking women in difficult situations.

What you can do to help:
The Naima and Children Must Stay Campaign is organising a letter writing and petition campaign to persuade the Minister for Immigration, Liam Byrne, to allow Naima and her children to stay in the UK.

1. Please print off the model letter which you can copy/amend write your own version (please quote Naima's Home Office ref. no. M1253075/A1145038), and send to:

Liam Byrne, Minister for Immigration
Home Office
3rd Floor
Peel Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

Please send copies of your letter to the Naima and Children Must Stay Campaign.

2. Please print off the petition, complete with signatures and send by post to the Naima and Children Must Stay Campaign. The campaign will gather completed petition sheets and present them to the Immigration Minister

3. Contact the Naima and Children Must Stay Campaign and put your name/organisation to the list of sponsors or make a donation - all support can make a difference and is very much appreciated.

Contact the Naima and Children Must Stay Campaign
Address: PO Box 111, Manchester, M21 0YU.
Email: naimaalamcampaign@googlemail.com