Danish woman reunites with love in Barguna after two decades
Barguna Correspondent
Love knows no bounds of time, distance, or misunderstanding—a truth vividly proven by journalist Mahbubul Alam Mannu and Rumana Maria. After 21 years of no contact, the couple reconnected through Facebook, prompting Rumana, a Danish woman, to travel from Denmark to Bangladesh to reunite with her beloved.
Mannu, a journalist with Dainik Amader Somoy and president of the Barguna Reporters’ Unity, journeyed 250 kilometers from Barguna to Dhaka to welcome Rumana. He then brought her to his home in Barguna, marking the revival of their love story.
Mannu, a resident of Akon Bari in Pajrabhanga, Barguna Sadar Upazila, moved to Denmark in the 1990s for work. There, he met Rumana Maria, a customer at a friend’s fast-food shop. Their acquaintance blossomed into friendship and then love. After a year and a half, they married in 1997, dreaming of a joyful life together.
That same year, Mannu brought his Danish wife to Bangladesh, where they opened Akon Diagnostic Centre behind Barguna Sadar Police Station. Charging nominal fees, they served the coastal district’s poor and underserved. However, pressure from local political and medical leaders forced the closure of the centre in 2000. Rumana returned to her parents in Denmark, while Mannu pursued a career in journalism. The couple, who have a son, maintained contact by phone for three years until communication ceased.
Family pressure led Rumana to remarry, but the marriage ended in divorce. Meanwhile, Mannu remained unattached. After 21 years, Rumana, through expatriate Bangladeshis in Denmark and Facebook, reconnected with Mannu. Their conversations rekindled their bond.
On Thursday (April 10), Rumana took a 10-day leave from work and arrived in Bangladesh. That evening, after Asr prayers, she and Mannu remarried at his home with a dowry of one lakh taka. The ceremony was attended by Mannu’s relatives, neighbors, and Barguna’s journalist community.
Mannu shared, “After three years of contact, we were disconnected for 21 years. In January, we reconnected via Facebook, and I recognized her instantly. Rumana came for just 10 days. We’ve spoken to the embassy, and once our marriage certificate is submitted, she can stay longer. If I choose to go to Denmark, she has no objections. Otherwise, she plans to resign next month and settle here permanently.”
Mannu, a journalist with Dainik Amader Somoy and president of the Barguna Reporters’ Unity, journeyed 250 kilometers from Barguna to Dhaka to welcome Rumana. He then brought her to his home in Barguna, marking the revival of their love story.
Mannu, a resident of Akon Bari in Pajrabhanga, Barguna Sadar Upazila, moved to Denmark in the 1990s for work. There, he met Rumana Maria, a customer at a friend’s fast-food shop. Their acquaintance blossomed into friendship and then love. After a year and a half, they married in 1997, dreaming of a joyful life together.
That same year, Mannu brought his Danish wife to Bangladesh, where they opened Akon Diagnostic Centre behind Barguna Sadar Police Station. Charging nominal fees, they served the coastal district’s poor and underserved. However, pressure from local political and medical leaders forced the closure of the centre in 2000. Rumana returned to her parents in Denmark, while Mannu pursued a career in journalism. The couple, who have a son, maintained contact by phone for three years until communication ceased.
Family pressure led Rumana to remarry, but the marriage ended in divorce. Meanwhile, Mannu remained unattached. After 21 years, Rumana, through expatriate Bangladeshis in Denmark and Facebook, reconnected with Mannu. Their conversations rekindled their bond.
On Thursday (April 10), Rumana took a 10-day leave from work and arrived in Bangladesh. That evening, after Asr prayers, she and Mannu remarried at his home with a dowry of one lakh taka. The ceremony was attended by Mannu’s relatives, neighbors, and Barguna’s journalist community.
Mannu shared, “After three years of contact, we were disconnected for 21 years. In January, we reconnected via Facebook, and I recognized her instantly. Rumana came for just 10 days. We’ve spoken to the embassy, and once our marriage certificate is submitted, she can stay longer. If I choose to go to Denmark, she has no objections. Otherwise, she plans to resign next month and settle here permanently.”
