The local Muslim and college communities are sharing in grief this week after the death of an international student who was killed in a tragic collision on Highway 400.
Maharab Hassan, 20, an international student who had arrived in Canada only three months ago, was struck and killed by a vehicle while walking on the highway near the Dunlop Street exit.
Imam Mateen Butt from the Barrie Mosque said the deceased's brother is a member of his congregation.
“The family is in great pain and his brother, I’m sure, was hoping to have his little brother here to experience all that Barrie and Canada has to offer,” said Butt. “It should have been a wonderful time for the brothers as they got a great education.”
Hassan’s brother just finished up his studies at Georgian College and was looking forward to being with Hassan to help him along his studies, Butt added.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help with the costs of sending Hassan’s body back to his family in Bangladesh.
“We are now in need of financial assistance as you can imagine the cost is very big. The family is trying to pay for a postmortem examination, the necessary religious rituals and the expenses involved in repatriating his body back to Bangladesh, where his mother is heavily grieving,” said Butt. “Maharab was the youngest of two brothers and that is a very tragic loss for their mother.”
The expenses amount to approximately $20,000.
According to the GoFundMe page, Hassan left the house while everyone was asleep, including his brother. Worried about his sudden disappearance, they tried to reach him, only to discover that his phone was switched off.
After searching for him police were contacted and a missing person report was filed.
“We heard back around 4 a.m. that he had been hit by a vehicle while he was walking just south of Dunlop Street on Highway 400,” said Butt. “He was coming from the Cedar Pointe area and was walking on the on-ramp for the 400. We think he followed it along as it curved. Being new to the country and a pedestrian, we assume he didn’t understand where he was at the moment and how dangerous it was.”
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have called the incident "an accidental death,” and OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said last week that two vehicles were involved in the collision.
BarrieToday has asked OPP whether any charges had been laid but did not receive a reply before publication.
Georgian College released a statement last week saying that Maharab was to start college in September in the game-design and simulation program.
The college lowered its flags to half-mast and offered grief counselling to anyone who required it.
Butt said the whole Muslim community is grieving with the family as most know what it means to come to Canada for a better life.
“Many of our congregation come from Bangladesh so it is hitting hard right now,” said Butt. “It is sad also because many of us know what it means to us and our family to come to Canada to seek a better life. To see someone’s life cut short before they got to have a bright future, it's very tragic.”
