After completing her final MBBS exams at Chittagong Medical College, Maha Shubeir returned to Palestine for a two-year internship. Today, she’s a full-fledged doctor. Like any young physician, she should have been settling into her medical career or diving into higher education. But fate had something else in store.
Maha was born in Palestine — a homeland now torn apart by relentless Israeli attacks. Her house has been reduced to rubble. She lost eight members of her family, including her aunt and uncle. Her parents and siblings now live with her in a makeshift refugee tent.
At the start of 2025, a glimmer of hope appeared in Maha’s life — a full scholarship to pursue a Master’s in Public Health at North South University in Bangladesh. She was also offered a job as a research assistant. It was a new beginning. But the path to that future is now blocked. With the borders under Israeli control, Maha’s dream of returning to Bangladesh has become uncertain.
“Our happy days are just memories now.”
In a WhatsApp conversation on July 1, Maha shared how her family home in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, was destroyed in May. Since then, they’ve taken refuge about eight kilometers away, in a seaside area called Mawasi Khan Yunis. They now live crammed into a single tent, eight people together. The area has turned into a refuge for nearly 10,000 displaced people.
“There’s no electricity. Clean drinking water is almost impossible to find,” Maha said with a sigh. “My sister’s one-and-a-half-year-old son has never eaten meat, fruit, or anything nutritious. We survive on rice, lentils, and seeds. The little rice and lentils we brought with us when we fled are nearly gone. There are no stores nearby. Occasionally, a small market appears, but it only offers flour and rice — and they’re very expensive.”
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Bangladesh: A Second Home
Maha came to Bangladesh in 2017 to study medicine. Back then, the country was unfamiliar. But with time, it became her second home. She fell in love with the food, the hospitality, and most of all, the people.
“What I love the most is how the people of Bangladesh always stand with Palestine,” she said. “I’m deeply grateful for this country.”
Her friends and teachers from Chittagong Medical College have kept in touch since she returned to Gaza. At the advice of her close friends Maliha Mehjabeen and Faisal Chowdhury, Maha applied to North South University.
“No one wants to leave their homeland or family behind by choice,” she explained. “But things are so desperate now that just leaving Palestine feels like the only way to survive. I don’t even know if I’ll make it to Bangladesh. Without help from the Bangladeshi embassies in Jordan or nearby countries, crossing the border is almost impossible. I’ve already emailed the Bangladeshi embassy in Jordan explaining everything, but I haven’t heard back.”
Caught Between War and Bureaucracy
Maha was supposed to start her classes at North South University in the summer semester (April), but the war changed everything.
Professor M. N. Islam, Director of Graduate Studies at North South, confirmed that Maha received a full scholarship because of her excellent academic performance.
“We also offered her a job at the university so she can study without any financial worries,” he said. “But she hasn’t been able to join classes because of the war. We’re trying to bring her here before the next semester begins.”
The university has already contacted Bangladeshi embassies in Jordan, Qatar, and Morocco requesting support, but none have responded. The Palestinian Embassy in Bangladesh has said they too are helpless in this situation.
Professor Islam added, “We urge the government to step in, at least on humanitarian grounds. Maha’s story deserves more than silence.”
Source: Prothom Alo
