Bangladeshi crane operator becomes Dh1 million richer
From having no bank account, Abdul Khader turns into a millionaire overnight
It was a classic rags-toriches story: Bangladeshi national Abdul Khader, 32, said he never had a bank account in the UAE as almost every dirham he earned has been sent back to his family. But luck smiled on him and he became a millionaire overnight, after winning the second prize during the 46th Mahzooz weekly draw.
Khader, a crane operator in Dubai, matched five out of six winning numbers (217-40-41-42-45) and won a whopping Dh1 million to become Mahzooz’s first Bangladeshi millionaire and the 16th overall this year. Additionally, 102 winners bagged Dh1,000 each, while Dh35 went to 1,984 participants. The total prize money during the draw was Dh1,171,440.
Khader said: “I am still grappling with how many zeroes there are in one million dirhams! Since I moved to Dubai 10 years ago, every dirham I earned has been sent to my family in Bangladesh.”
The devoted family man said he had chosen to live a frugal existence. When asked what is the first thing he would with his prize, Khader honestly replied: “First, I will go shop for some gold for my wife. I have never been able to save enough to even buy her a grain of gold.”
Heart of gold
But aside from being able now to splurge on his wife, Khader has also shown his heart of gold. He said: “I want to use a portion of my prize money to help my brother and father who have been facing a lot of financial setbacks. Then I will build a house and rent it out — that will ensure we have a steady stream of income for years to come.”