A Bangladesh family has made a desperate plea to be allowed to stay in the UK because of fears their disabled son will die if they are deported.
Six-year-old Ar-Rafi Haider has Down's syndrome and medical problems, including a weak heart, anaemia and eczema. He has been treated by doctors in Leicester since his family fled persecution in Bangladesh two years ago hoping to claim political asylum.
His mother and father, Shamsuddin and Hasi, have been told their application has failed because Bangladesh has recently been removed from a list of unsafe countries. Now they are pinning all hope on a medical report which says their son will die if they are sent back to Bangladesh with its under-equipped hospitals.
They say Ar-Rafi's heart weakness requires regular monitoring. He also needs medicine for anaemia and treatment for his eczema. Last month he was recently rushed to hospital with severe breathing difficulties associated with his heart problems.
The family now hopes the Home Office - which last month granted a general amnesty to thousands of asylum seekers - will allow them to stay on compassionate grounds.
Mrs Haider, 25, said,"We are so grateful for the help we are receiving and we hope we will be allowed to stay for the sake of our son. We are just one family and we love our son and we fear we will lose him if we have to go back to Bangladesh."
"The doctor says our son will die if we have to return to Bangladesh. We just hope the authorities will listen," said her 35 year old husband.
"The Government recently allowed thousands of asylum seekers to stay in the country and we are asking them to allow this one family to remain here for the sake of the life of this child," said Jahangir Ahmed, a friend of the family.
The Leicester West Primary Care Trust, whose doctors are treating Ar-Rafi, declined to comment because of patient confidentiality.
But a medical report on his condition says, "Ar-Rafi was diagnosed as having Down's syndrome soon after birth and it has become clear he requires long-term care. His long-term care can only be maintained here as it would be extremely difficult to get multi-disciplinary care in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, he has many problems in various systems, which include speech and language and hearing, as well as breathing difficulties. It would be difficult for him to survive longer if he has to return to Bangladesh. I do not feel the system in Bangladesh will be adequate to maintain his life as it is with multiple difficulties."
Rupert Bagilhole, head teacher atthe local school where Ar-Rafi is a pupil, said the youngster had limited speech and hearing, but would soon begin learning sign language. "He has been doing extremely well in recent months because of the support we've been able to give him and that type of support would not be available in Bangladesh," he said.
In London a Home Office spokeswoman would not comment on individual cases but confirmed medical needs could be the basis for the family being given leave to stay.
