Malcom Arnold, an Australian, first came to Bangladesh in 2001. He was visiting to carry out research work for his book on the history of cricket.
At that time, in Mongla, he met Halima Begum, a young woman who was working at World Vision to fend for herself and her daughter.
They continued correspondence over the years, and in 2004, Arnold married Halima and started a new life in Bangladesh.
But after nearly two decades of living in the country, Malcom and his wife are now struggling to make ends meet.
“My wife is my everything. She has been with me for years and has been looking after me,” Malcom told Dhaka Tribune during a recent interview.
Malcom, who has been making a living out of making paintings, is determined not to return home.
“But the paintings no longer sell because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and I can no longer draw as I used to because of my illness,” he said, adding that he is no longer able to afford treatment or medicine.
Halima used to work on women’s sexual awareness during her time at World Vision.
She said after Malcom left, they remained in touch. During this time she was diagnosed with issues with her uterus. But treatment was expensive and she could not afford the surgery the doctor suggested.
After she told Malcom, he returned to Bangladesh in 2003 with $2,000 and got her treated. Before he went back to Australia, he proposed marriage to Halima.
She agreed on condition he convert to Islam and settle in Bangladesh.
Malcom, who has children from a previous marriage, sold everything he owned in Australia and settled in Bangladesh in 2004.
Halima said the manuscript for the book Arnold wrote and submitted to publishers has yet to be published.
“He had enough money but a friend of his misled him,” she said, adding that under that friend’s influence Malcom did not trust Halima’s advice of buying land for a secure future.
“Now we have to live in a rented home,” she added.
According to her, Malcom first had a stroke in 2011 and his paintings stopped selling amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
They did receive some aid during the pandemic which helped them pay the rent for around five months.
But now they are struggling to pay rent and afford food and medicines as financial woes continue to make their lives miserable.
