By Luke Voogt
A Corio family has won their fight for permanent residency after immigration officials initially rejected their application in 2016 due to their son’s mild disability.
Last November the Independent revealed Adyan Bin Hasan, who was born in Geelong, faced deportation with his Bangladeshi parents after an undiagnosed stroke at birth caused him to have mild cerebral palsy.
But this evening his father Mahedi Hasan Bhuiyan phoned to tell the Independent that Customs and Multicultural Affairs Assistant Minister Jason Wood had intervened to grant the family permanent residency.
“I feel so terribly happy when I look at my son’s face – he doesn’t understand it yet,” an elated Dr Bhuiyan told the Independent.
“Because I know if we had not been granted this, he would have been in a bad position in Bangladesh. I was worried about his future.
“I’m feeling great relief. The minister has understood the situation of our son.”
Dr Bhuiyan thanked the Geelong Independent, along with senators Sarah Henderson and James Paterson, Mr Wood and Corio MP Richard Marles for their support.
“I would like to thank all the Australian people who supported our family through this long four-year period,” he said.
“Thanks to all for signing the petition in our support.”
Dr Bhuiyan received the news via email this evening after the Independent went to press this afternoon.
Before the Independent went to press he spoke to the newspaper about his hope for compassion from Immigration Minister David Coleman and Mr Wood.
Read the full story here:
COVID-19 is turning lives upside down worldwide but for Mahedi Hasan Bhuiyan the pandemic is secondary to his family’s battle to stay in Australia.
They have faced deportation since 2016, when immigration officials first rejected their application for skilled permanent residency due solely to their son Adyan’s mild disability.
“We feel that we are unable to breath,” Dr Bhuiyan told the Independent.
“We are worried our stressful situation will affect our son’s mental health and development, as we are unable to concentrate.”
For several months Immigration Minister David Coleman has been considering the family’s application.
With the family’s bridging visa due to expire next Monday, Dr Bhuiyan made a final plea for Mr Coleman to intervene.
“If the minister can show sympathy to our son, I think everything will be good,” he said.
“For a good outcome, I can wait.”
The shy but inquisitive six-year-old, who loves cricket, soccer and “Kmart”, is happily enrolled in school and quickly learning English, according to Dr Bhuiyan.
“He doesn’t understand that much [about the family’s immigration status],” he said.
“He’s busy with school and playing. But it’s getting difficult for us to get our life going.”
Dr Bhuiyan migrated in 2011 to study engineering at Waurn Ponds, returning briefly to Bangladesh in 2012 to marry.
Wife Rebaka Sultana joined him in Geelong in early 2013 and on 26 December gave birth to Adyan.
Four months later, specialists diagnosed Adyan with mild cerebral palsy, now primarily affecting his left hand, from a previously-undiagnosed stroke at birth.
Dr Bhuiyan applied for permanent skilled residency after finishing his PhD in March 2016 but the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth rejected the application due to Adyan’s condition.
Dr Bhuiyan said he had paid for Adyan’s treatment, which was minimal, and never received welfare from Australia.
“I don’t ask for any help for anything.”
He applied to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal soon after.
In May 2017 the family returned to Bangladesh after Dr Bhuiyan’s father suffered a heart attack.
Mrs Sultana worked as a GP in a hospital while Dr Bhuiyan worked at a university and enrolled Adyan at kindergarten.
But “superstitious” locals shunned Adyan and physio services were very poor, and the family would not let him outside due to fears for his safety, Dr Bhuiyan said.
The family returned to Australia in 2019 before the tribunal rejected their appeal in July. The family then applied to the minister to intervene.
Ms Sultana is studying to be a GP in Australia, while Dr Bhuiyan works at a supermarket and a convenience store, and is confident he can get a university job after securing permanent residency.
A psychological assessment last June found Adyan had normal cognitive skills and his occupational therapist described his left-hand function as improving.
Dr Bhuiyan’s former supervisor at Deakin University, Professor Ian Chen, described him as “hardworking” and said that he would happily work with him again.
The Independent understands Federal Corio MP Richard Marles plans to write on Adyan’s behalf to the Immigration Minister, a position he held while in government.
The Independent had yet to receive an update from the Immigration Minister on the family’s situation before going to press yesterday.
To sign the family’s petition to Mr Coleman, search ‘Adyan’ at change.org
