When a group of Bangladeshi students moved to Darwin for university, they pictured coming to a country that was safe. But life changed when one of their mates was killed in a violent break-in at their share home in 2023. The ABC has spoken exclusively to some of the group, who are still trying to make sense of their Australian dream.
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00:00Omar Farooq and his friends never thought their dream of studying in Australia would
00:08turn into grief.
00:09It feels like a nightmare, not just a bad dream, like the worst nightmare you can have.
00:14In May 2023, Ishfaqur Rahman, or Sifat as he was known, was killed in a violent break-in
00:22at their share home in Darwin.
00:24A 30-year-old man has been charged with his murder and aggravated burglary, and will face
00:29trial next year.
00:31Sifat's best friend from Bangladesh, Safi Sami, says the death has been life-altering.
00:37I have to calculate, I have to calculate everything, can I go there, or is it safe for me?
00:44Chowdhury Sardarine organised Sifat's funeral, and the repatriation of the only child's body
00:51back to Bangladesh.
00:52We need to attract more migrants over here, so they can stay here as their home, and for
00:58that one of the most vital things that has to be ensured is the safety.
01:04Charles Darwin University has just opened a new city campus.
01:09Its Vice-Chancellor says improving community safety is vital to its prosperity, announcing
01:14a new shuttle bus service between campuses to keep students safe.
01:18I talk to international students quite often, and they are regularly victims of crime in
01:25the territory.
01:26Sifat's mates thought about leaving Australia after the death, but have chosen to stay on
01:32for their friend.
01:33With two boys, we've come thousands of kilometres, with two backs and so many dreams.
01:40We can't let his dream die, so we're going to try our best.
01:44Keeping an Australian dream alive through the pain.